Hatoyama to head into election with Ozawa as DPJ`s No. 2

TOKYO, Jan. 14 Kyodo -
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Thursday he will retain Ichiro Ozawa in the
Democratic Party of Japan's No. 2 post of secretary general and plans to head
into the House of Councillors election next summer under his guidance even
though Ozawa is mired in a political funds scandal.
Hatoyama declined to say whether Ozawa would be forced to take political
responsibility if the allegations are proved true, telling reporters he would
not answer a hypothetical question and that the ongoing probe will eventually
reveal the complete picture.
Ozawa has come under fresh fire not just from the opposition but some within
the ruling bloc after prosecutors searched his office as well as that of his
fund management body the previous day over alleged accounting irregularities.
Hatoyama, also DPJ president, said Thursday that he will try his best to
minimize the impact of the development on the upcoming regular Diet session
slated to begin Monday.
In reference to criticism that Ozawa has not given a full explanation regarding
the allegations, the prime minister defended him, saying that the former DPJ
leader has refrained from speaking about the case because it is still being
investigated by prosecutors.
Asked if he plans to let the DPJ head into the upper house election, which is
likely to be held in July, with Ozawa in charge of the campaign as secretary
general, the prime minister told reporters, ''I think so.''
''We have come all the way here under a leadership including Secretary General
Ozawa,'' Hatoyama told reporters in front of his official residence earlier in
the day. ''And we also made it through an election in harsh circumstances.
Because of this I have no intention (of replacing Ozawa).''
On the possible impact of the scandal on the outcome of the upper house
election, Hatoyama expressed hope that the DPJ will be able to put the issue
behind it.
''By that time, we will also have resolved this problem and our party will get
on with it (the election) united,'' he said.
Prosecutors have asked Ozawa to appear for questioning on a voluntary basis in
connection with their investigation into his former private secretary who is
suspected of failing to report income received by Ozawa's fund management body.
Most of the funds were allegedly used for a land purchase in 2004.
But Hatoyama has left it up to Ozawa to decide whether to submit to
questioning, saying, ''That depends on his own judgment.''
Wednesday's search by the prosecutors came after Ozawa apologized to the public
Tuesday for ''giving a false impression'' over the allegations involving the
land purchase by his Rikuzankai fund management body. He denied any deliberate
wrongdoing.
Ozawa, who stepped down as DPJ president last May amid criticism over a
fundraising scandal involving his top secretary, assumed the party's No. 2 post
in September, when the DPJ formed a coalition government with two junior
partners.
Ozawa played a key role in orchestrating the DPJ's historic election win last
August over the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party. As DPJ secretary general,
he is taking charge of election strategy for the upcoming upper house election.
==Kyodo