Apr 11 07:30 AM US/Eastern(AP) - TOKYO, April 11 (Kyodo) — A panel of experts set up by the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan held its first meeting Saturday in Tokyo to discuss DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa's handling of a scandal in which his secretary was indicted for alleged fundraising irregularities.
The panel decided to examine income and expenditures of Ozawa's political funds as well as accountability of Ozawa and the DPJ over the scandal, lawyer and former prosecutor Nobuo Gohara, a professor at Meijo University, told reporters after the meeting. He was named acting chairman of the panel.
Depending on further discussions, the panel is expected to question Ozawa, who decided to remain in his post following the indictment last month of his secretary Takanori Okubo for allegedly falsifying funding reports on donations from general contractor Nishimatsu Construction Co.
The DPJ set up the four-member panel based on its Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama's call for the need to "calmly hold discussions in response to criticisms" regarding Ozawa's accountability.
The panel plans to hold six rounds of meetings by mid-May to compile a report.
Jun Iio, a professor of political science at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, was chosen as chairman of the panel.
The remaining members are Keiko Sakurai, a professor of administrative law at Gakushuin University, and Takaaki Hattori, a professor of media law at Rikkyo University, who was absent Saturday due to illness.
After Okubo was indicted March 24, Ozawa said he will stay in his position, while suggesting that he would reconsider whether to resign by watching how public opinion develops, particularly in connection with the DPJ's chances of toppling the ruling coalition of the Liberal Democratic Party and the New Komeito party in the next general election, which must be held by this fall.
Ozawa has repeatedly said he has dealt with the donations in accordance with the political funds control law.
Posts
