ID :
52095
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 20:46
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/52095
The shortlink copeid
Ozawa's secretary indicted over fundraising scandal+
TOKYO, March 24 Kyodo - Prosecutors said they indicted on Tuesday a secretary of Ichiro Ozawa, president of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, over a fundraising scandal.
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Takanori Okubo, 47,
because his case is a ''serious and malicious'' one that cannot be overlooked
as he illegally received money from a certain construction firm for many years,
according to deputy chief prosecutor Tsuneta Tanigawa.
Okubo is thought to be denying the allegation that he received 35 million yen
in donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. as an accountant of Ozawa's
political fund managing body in violation of the political funds control law.
But the prosecutors have apparently determined they can prove, through other
people's statements, that Okubo was aware of the illegality of his acts,
according to sources close to the matter.
Meanwhile, the special investigation squad at the office is expected to refrain
from immediately questioning Ozawa on the matter.
Okubo was arrested March 3 for allegedly receiving the donations from the
general contractor from 2003 to 2006 and falsely reporting them as donations
from what are believed to be Nishimatsu's dummy entities.
The donations were received by Ozawa's fund management body Rikuzankai, of
which Okubo was serving as treasurer.
The prosecutors also indicted former Nishimatsu President Mikio Kunisawa, 70,
but released Akifumi Okazaki, 67, a former senior employee of Nishimatsu who
had been arrested along with Okubo and Kunisawa, after deferring a decision on
how to treat his case.
According to investigative sources, Nishimatsu started donations to Ozawa's
camp when one of the company's dummy entities was established in 1995. Deals
were apparently made around that time so that Nishimatsu would donate roughly
25 million yen every year to the Ozawa side, resulting in some 300 million yen
in total donations over more than a decade, they said.
A source close to Nishimatsu has said the company donated the money as it
wanted to maintain ''a friendly relationship with President Ozawa's camp as he
has a big influence in (contracts for) public works in the Tohoku region.''
Ozawa's electoral district is in Iwate Prefecture in the region.
==Kyodo
The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Takanori Okubo, 47,
because his case is a ''serious and malicious'' one that cannot be overlooked
as he illegally received money from a certain construction firm for many years,
according to deputy chief prosecutor Tsuneta Tanigawa.
Okubo is thought to be denying the allegation that he received 35 million yen
in donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. as an accountant of Ozawa's
political fund managing body in violation of the political funds control law.
But the prosecutors have apparently determined they can prove, through other
people's statements, that Okubo was aware of the illegality of his acts,
according to sources close to the matter.
Meanwhile, the special investigation squad at the office is expected to refrain
from immediately questioning Ozawa on the matter.
Okubo was arrested March 3 for allegedly receiving the donations from the
general contractor from 2003 to 2006 and falsely reporting them as donations
from what are believed to be Nishimatsu's dummy entities.
The donations were received by Ozawa's fund management body Rikuzankai, of
which Okubo was serving as treasurer.
The prosecutors also indicted former Nishimatsu President Mikio Kunisawa, 70,
but released Akifumi Okazaki, 67, a former senior employee of Nishimatsu who
had been arrested along with Okubo and Kunisawa, after deferring a decision on
how to treat his case.
According to investigative sources, Nishimatsu started donations to Ozawa's
camp when one of the company's dummy entities was established in 1995. Deals
were apparently made around that time so that Nishimatsu would donate roughly
25 million yen every year to the Ozawa side, resulting in some 300 million yen
in total donations over more than a decade, they said.
A source close to Nishimatsu has said the company donated the money as it
wanted to maintain ''a friendly relationship with President Ozawa's camp as he
has a big influence in (contracts for) public works in the Tohoku region.''
Ozawa's electoral district is in Iwate Prefecture in the region.
==Kyodo
