Ozawa under closer scrutiny
(From The Japan Times Jan. 16 issue)

要約
小沢氏団体への捜査、鳩山政権に打撃

Tokyo public prosecutors' efforts to unravel suspected irregularities involving Rikuzankai, the political funds management body of Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, have taken a new turn.

On Jan. 13, they searched the offices of Mr. Ozawa, Rikuzankai, Mr. Tomohiro Ishikawa — a DPJ Lower House member who is a former secretary of Mr. Ozawa — and general contractor Kajima Corp.

The prosecutors had questioned Mr. Ishikawa twice on a voluntary basis. Apparently they thought the search was necessary because his explanations were inadequate. Mr. Ozawa has not yet complied with prosecutors' Jan. 5 request that he voluntarily appear before them for questioning.

It has been reported that Mr. Ishikawa received ¥400 million in cash from Mr. Ozawa and used it to purchase a 476-sq.-meter plot in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, on Oct. 29, 2004, for ¥340 million. The ¥340 million outlay is listed in Rikuzankai's political funds report for 2005 — not in the report for 2004. The prosecutors suspect that Mr. Ishikawa did not record the ¥400 million cash transfer.

Although Mr. Ozawa's office has explained that he sought a ¥400 million loan from a bank to buy the land, the loan was extended several hours after the land was purchased. A 2004 entry in Rikuzankai's report reads: "Oct. 29, ¥400 million, borrowed money (from) Ichiro Ozawa." This is regarded as the ¥400 million bank loan, not the ¥400 million given in cash by Mr. Ozawa.

Meanwhile, officials of a Kajima subcontractor have told prosecutors that the firm provided ¥50 million in cash to Mr. Ozawa's office in October 2004 because it wanted to take part in a dam project in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, Mr. Ozawa's election base. Mr. Ishikawa denies receipt of the money.

The day before the search, Mr. Ozawa said at a news conference that he believed his staff had "not violated the law intentionally," although he and his staff may have erred in their calculations. He refused to explain further. This refusal could deepen people's suspicions about him, and cause political damage to the Hatoyama administration and the DPJ.

民主党小沢幹事長の資金管理団体、陸山会の不正疑惑で東京地検は新たな動きに乗り出した。

地検は1月13日、小沢氏、陸山会、小沢氏元秘書の石川衆院議員の事務所や鹿島建設を家宅捜索、検察は石川氏を任意で2度事情聴取した。

石川氏は2004年10月の都内の3億4千万円の土地購入に小沢氏から渡された現金4億円を充てたという。検察は、石川氏が4億円の収入を記載しなかったと見ている。

事務所は小沢氏が4億円の融資を申請したと述べたが、融資を受けたのは土地購入後だった。

鹿島建設の下請けは検察に対し、岩手県奥州市のダム工事受注にからんで小沢事務所に5千万円渡したと述べたが、石川氏はこれを否認している。

小沢氏は、意図的に法に反してはいないと信じると述べ、それ以上の説明を避けた。それによって国民の不信が強まり、鳩山政権と民主党に政治的打撃となるかもしれない。