www.chinaview.cn 2009-03-05 14:27:43
By Qi Wei
TOKYO, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Tokyo prosecutors on Tuesday arrested Takanori Okubo, a government-paid aide of the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) leader Ichiro Ozawa, on suspicion of falsifying political fund reports over donations from major contractor Nishimatsu Construction Co. in violation of the Political Fund Control Law.
The special investigation squad of the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on Wednesday raided Ozawa's local office in Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, and the DPJ's branch office in Morioka, Iwate in a bid to collect evidence to support the allegations against Okubo.
Also on Wednesday, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) gained an upper hand by enacting a bill to implement a controversial 2 billion yen cash handout plan with a two-thirds majority in a revote at the ruling-dominated House of Representatives.
Political observers believe that the arrest of Ozawa's aide, which dealt a surprise blow to the DPJ, is expected to inject more uncertainties into Japan's political arena and exert an incalculable impact on the nation's already chaotic political situation.
Despite the ever-falling support rate for Prime Minister Taro Aso's cabinet, some say that the enactment of the cash handout-related law, along with the arrest of the DPJ leader's aide, could possibly change the LDP's prospects.
AN ABUSE OF STATE POWER?
Following Okubo's arrest, Ozawa denied that his chief secretary knowingly accepted illicit donations from Nishimatsu, blasting the probe as an "unfair exercise of state power."
"I myself have nothing to feel guilty about, and my secretary's actions are in accordance with the law and every thing has been filed and submitted legally and properly," said Ozawa at a 40-minute press conference Wednesday.
"The investigation has been conducted at a time when the next House of Representatives election is a hot topic," he said. "Politically and legally, its a really unfair exercise of state power and prosecutors' power."
Criticizing prosecutors' investigative tactics, Ozawa said, "Their raid was an abnormal method that goes beyond conventional manners.
Meanwhile, Yukio Hatoyama, secretary-general of the DPJ, told reporters, "I smell quite a bit of conspiracy here."
"Perhaps the government and the ruling coalition are trying to fabricate a scandal out of nothing," he said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura, however, rebuked Ozawa and DPJ executives for crying foul over the incident.
"The prosecutors made the arrest based on the law and evidence...and I find it extremely difficult to understand" the opposition's criticisms, Kawamura told reporters.
"But because it is an issue of political funds, it is very important for us politicians to increase transparency over the political funds and ensure the people's trust in politics," he said.
A NEW BOSS FOR DPJ?
Though the arrest of Okubo was widely deemed as a heavy blow to the opposition DPJ, political analysts said the damage would not be further inflicted on the party if Ozawa, who refused to quit at a press conference Wednesday, steps down from the DPJ top post.
"It is natural for Ozawa to stress his innocence, but considering what is best for the party, I think the most sensible thing to do is to step down," Jiro Yamaguchi, a political science professor at Hokkaido University and a close observer of the DPJ, was quoted by The Japan Times as saying.
"The DPJ's priority is to seize power in the next general election, and I have to question whether Ozawa's refusal to step down is the wisest choice," said Yamaguchi.
The professor said that the scandal wounds the DPJ, but not fatally, as long as the party moves quickly to pick a new leader.
"As hard as it may be for Ozawa, I think he needs to step down for the party's sake," Yamaguchi said.
Yamaguchi's remarks were echoed by Tomoaki Iwai, a political science professor at Nihon University and an expert on political funds issues.
"The arrest is a significant fact, and if he stays the party could face a split between hard-liners and moderates," Iwai said.
"Ozawa has been the Achilles' heel of the DPJ and holds the key to the election," he said, adding "If his popularity declines, so will that of the DPJ."
DPJ STILL HAVE UPPER HAND OVER LDP
Some analysts believe that Ozawa's explanation at the news conference helped cushion the blow and the opposition DPJ still maintains a more advantageous position in the next general election following the arrest of the party chief's aide.
"His explanation sounded quite convincing," said Kikuya Matsuzaki, a political satirist.
"If the DPJ continues to be responsible in explaining the incident, I think it may be able to minimize its impact," Matsuzaki said.
Commenting on the incident, Mari Miura, a professor of politics at Sophia University, said, "DPJ lawmakers have shown greater unity than expected."
The government and the ruling bloc, on the other hand, responded cautiously to the scandal. According to media reports, the Nishimatsu-related political groups also allegedly donated to key LDP lawmakers. In this sense, the LDP may not be able to reap fat profit from the downfall of DPJ chief's aide. So both the ruling and opposition camps need to be patient to find out what comes to pass next.
Editor: Xiong Tong
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