 Prosecutor's decision not to indict Hashimoto was error: inquest A Tokyo inquest panel has determined that the prosecutors' decision not to press charges against former Prime Minister Hashimoto Ryutaro over his faction's cover-up of the receipt of a 100 million yen donation from the Japan Dental Association was inappropriate. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office has charged two staff members of the Liberal Democratic Party's former faction led by Hashimoto for violating the Political Fund Control Law, but has not indicted former PM Hashimoto, the faction leader at the time, Aoki Mikio, General Assembly of LDP Members in the House of Councillors chair, or Nonaka Hiromu, former LDP secretary general. The panel, one of two in Tokyo composed of citizens, concluded that the prosecutors' investigation into suspicions about Hashimoto is invalid, and it is unacceptable for a faction leader to be free from the faction's criminal case. The panel regarded the non-prosecution of Aoki and Nonaka as inappropriate and urged the prosecutors to reexamine the case. The Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office issued a comment saying that it will carry out an investigation into the case and carefully reexamine the decision. Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Sasaki Kensho (House of Representatives) the same day told reporters, "The panel decision is natural and acceptable. The Japan Dental Association's fund donation and the LDP faction's behind-the-scene dealing must be fully examined. The Diet must also inquire into their political and moral responsibilities and all those concerned with the case should be summoned before the Diet as witnesses." (end) |