DPJ Ozawa discloses detailed description of his 'office expenses'

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DPJ Ozawa discloses detailed description of his 'office expenses'

Democratic Party of Japan President Ozawa Ichiro on February 20 made public the use of about 400 million yen that his fund management body reported as office expenses in its 2005 political fund report.

At a press conference in the Lower House members' office building, Ozawa explained that his organization in 2005 spent about 370 million yen to buy land in Tokyo to build a dormitory for his secretaries.

Asked by reporters to comment on Ozawa's disclosure, Japanese Communist Party Chair Shii Kazuo on February 22 said, "It is unreasonable for a politician to buy real estate using 1 billion yen over 10 years and list that as office expenses. Furthermore, hasn't he violated the law banning the use of political funds for speculative purposes? Mr. Ozawa must answer these questions."

Shii also pointed out that the DPJ needs to clean up its political funds scandals involving former House of Councilors Vice President Tsunoda Giichi and DPJ Policy Research Committee Chair Matsumoto Takeaki.

The JCP chair also stressed that it is totally unacceptable for Education Minister Ibuki Bunmei and Agriculture Minister Matsuoka Toshikatsu to refuse to disclose the details of their "office expenses." Shii said, "The two ministers must voluntarily reveal the facts, and the Abe Cabinet also must begin investigating the scandals."
- Akahata, February 21 & 23, 2007