May 22, 2010
Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Kokuta Keiji said, “Regardless of the judicial decision, it is necessary for the Diet to summon Ozawa as a sworn witness.”
This statement was made on May 21 when he was asked by reporters about the fact that the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office again decided not to indict Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ozawa Ichiro, citing lack of evidence.
Kokuta said, “Regarding allegations about Ozawa’s involvement in false reports on his political funds in connection with his political fund managing body’s land purchases and illegal political donations from general contractor construction companies, the need now is to reveal the truth before the public and to urge Ozawa to accept his moral and political responsibility.
Citing the fact that in an NHK opinion poll, 80% of respondents said that Ozawa should appear before the Diet to give information regarding the allegations, Kokuta emphasized the importance of requiring a sworn testimony by Ozawa.
Regarding the prosecutor’s decision, Kokuta stated, “He is still under suspicion, but he isn’t being indicted because of insufficient evidence. I hope that a citizen’s inquest panel will make a decision based on public morals after reexamining the prosecutor’s decision.”
After investigating Ozawa for suspicion of being involved in his political fund managing organization’s false reporting of political funds, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office in February decided not to indict Ozawa because of lack of evidence. The independent judicial panel, which is composed of eleven randomly selected citizens, late last month overturned the prosecutor’s decision. Following the panel’s decision, the prosecutor’s office for a second time questioned Ozawa and then made the decision not to indict. Another independent inquest panel will reexamine this decision and if the panel again demands Ozawa’s indictment, court-appointed lawyers in the place of state prosecutors will have the authority to forcibly indict him.
- Akahata, May 22, 2010
Kokuta said, “Regarding allegations about Ozawa’s involvement in false reports on his political funds in connection with his political fund managing body’s land purchases and illegal political donations from general contractor construction companies, the need now is to reveal the truth before the public and to urge Ozawa to accept his moral and political responsibility.
Citing the fact that in an NHK opinion poll, 80% of respondents said that Ozawa should appear before the Diet to give information regarding the allegations, Kokuta emphasized the importance of requiring a sworn testimony by Ozawa.
Regarding the prosecutor’s decision, Kokuta stated, “He is still under suspicion, but he isn’t being indicted because of insufficient evidence. I hope that a citizen’s inquest panel will make a decision based on public morals after reexamining the prosecutor’s decision.”
After investigating Ozawa for suspicion of being involved in his political fund managing organization’s false reporting of political funds, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutor’s Office in February decided not to indict Ozawa because of lack of evidence. The independent judicial panel, which is composed of eleven randomly selected citizens, late last month overturned the prosecutor’s decision. Following the panel’s decision, the prosecutor’s office for a second time questioned Ozawa and then made the decision not to indict. Another independent inquest panel will reexamine this decision and if the panel again demands Ozawa’s indictment, court-appointed lawyers in the place of state prosecutors will have the authority to forcibly indict him.
- Akahata, May 22, 2010
