Japan Press Weekly

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2011 January 26 - February 1 [SCANDAL]

Ozawa indicted based on decision of citizens’ panel

Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ozawa Ichiro on January 31 was indicted based on a decision by the citizens’ inquest panel on charges of violation of the Political Funds Control Law.

This is the first time that a Dietmember is going to face a trial as a result of a decision by an independent judicial panel, consisting of 11 citizens.

Following his indictment, Ozawa at a news conference said that he will not leave the DPJ or resign as lawmaker because he “had done nothing to be ashamed of.”

Japanese Communist Party Secretariat Head Ichida Tadayoshi later on the same day commented, “Both the DPJ and Ozawa should seriously address the indictment. Even though Ozawa has been indicted, he still has a responsibility to provide full information to the Diet. The Diet should summon Ozawa as a sworn witness without delay.”

A special taskforce for the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors’ Office had investigated Ozawa for his alleged involvement in falsified reports regarding political funding. Ozawa in conspiracy with his two former aides in 2004 and 2005 had allegedly falsely excluded the amount of political funds related to land purchased by the Ozawa’s fund managing organization, Rikuzankai.

The two former aides in response to the prosecutors hearing said that they reported to Ozawa about the falsification and received his approval. However, Ozawa later denied his involvement. The prosecutors’ office in February 2010 indicted the two aides but decided not to indict Ozawa due to lack of evidence.

A citizens’ inquest panel in April and October 2010 concluded that Ozawa should be indicted.

Regarding cases which the prosecutors’ office decides not to indict a suspect, if an inquest panel overturns this decision twice, court-appointed lawyers will have the authority to indict the suspect in place of prosecutors and will bring the case before the court.