Japan Press Weekly

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2011 January 26 - February 1 [SCANDAL]

No initiative taken by DPJ for revelation of Ozawa’s scandal

The ruling Democratic Party of Japan has never made a serious effort to reveal the whole truth regarding the “money-for-politics” scandal involving its senior member Ozawa Ichiro.

In his policy speech in June last year, Prime Minister Kan Naoto stated, “He has taken his responsibility by resigning (as DPJ secretary general),” giving Ozawa the benefit of the doubt at such an early stage in the investigations.

Facing the public criticism later on, the prime minister started calling for Ozawa’s own explanation in regard to the allegations. However, what he requested was Ozawa’s testimony at the House of Representatives Political Ethics Deliberative Council, which has no legal binding power. Obviously Kan was avoiding the option of having Ozawa give sworn testimony before the Diet which can charge him with perjury if he makes false statements under oath.

The prime minister in his New Year address on January 4 stated that it is impossible for the government to ask citizens to share in burdens as long as the distrust of politicians associated with the “money-for-politics” scandal remains a public issue. Without promising to tackle the scandal, Kan linked it to the consumption tax hike in the speech in an attempt to use the issue as a tool to gain understanding of increasing financial burdens.

The DPJ’s refusal to have Ozawa give sworn testimony is extraordinary even compared with the former Liberal Democratic Party government. In the 1976 Lockheed scandal, the late Prime Minister Tanaka Kakuei, whom Ozawa worshiped and closely worked with, gave sworn testimony at the Diet, which led to the revelation of illegal actions taken. This case shows the need for both the judicial branch and the Diet to work to uncover the truth.

The DPJ is still receiving donations from corporations and other organizations contrary to its promise during the 2009 Lower House election campaign to ban such donations. Not only that, the ruling party recently decided to resume its acceptance of donations from public works contractors, in which it once called for self-restraint.