FOCUS: Ozawa stays silent following DPJ`s election setback

TOKYO, July 20 Kyodo -
Ichiro Ozawa, a pivotal figure in Japanese politics for decades, has remained
silent since the ruling Democratic Party of Japan suffered a major defeat in a
recent election.
During campaigns for the July 11 upper house election, Ozawa, the DPJ's former
secretary general, repeatedly criticized the party leadership, especially Prime
Minister Naoto Kan, who had said he wanted Ozawa to remain quiet for a while as
he sought to cast off the DPJ powerbroker's influence.
He was a particularly outspoken critic of Kan's decision to bring up the idea
of a consumption tax hike, which some analysts say was behind the DPJ's setback
in the upper house election.
Ozawa, however, went into hiding after the election, distancing himself from
the prime minister, who has come under criticism within his party for the
election defeat. Television footage showed Ozawa flying into Hachijo Island,
off Tokyo, over the weekend to go fishing. He refused to respond to reporters'
questions.
Ozawa, who had come under fire for funding scandals, stepped down from the
party's No. 2 position when former Prime Minister and DPJ leader Yukio Hatoyama
resigned June 2, handing the reins of government to Kan.
But the DPJ-led ruling coalition lost a majority in the House of Councillors as
a result of the election, forcing Kan to face a so-called divided Diet -- in
which opposition parties control the upper house and the ruling coalition the
lower house.
Attention at Tokyo's Nagatacho political district is now focusing on what move
the sidelined powerbroker will make -- whether he will stake his political
career in the DPJ presidential election scheduled for September or resort to
strong-arm tactics to establish a new coalition government in an attempt to
resolve the twisted political makeup in the upper chamber of the Diet.
''The DPJ has no time to be happy with achieving a change of government'' last
year, Ozawa said on the stump July 8 in Kaga, Ishikawa Prefecture. ''It has
responsibilities to protect people's lives.'' That was his last public
appearance until his arrival in Hachijo Island was shown on television.
He made a stumping tour of 16 prefectures, but those around him said after the
election that he is ''taking a rest since he is neither a Cabinet member nor
party leader.''
On the other hand, Ozawa was reported to have been ''very angry at Kan'' over
the result of the election, regarding the outcome to be the result of Kan's
remarks about a consumption tax hike and modifications to the party manifesto.
In the election, the DPJ won 44 seats, falling short of Kan's target of at
least 54, the same number of the ruling party's seats that were being contested
in the triennial election, when half the chamber's seats are up for grabs.
Ozawa was quoted as saying to politicians close to him in late June that the
manifesto the party issued as a campaign pledge for the lower house election
last year should not be reviewed and that it should be evaluated by people in
the next lower house election three years from now.
Ozawa supporters, who comprise the largest group within the DPJ, are calling
for him to run against Kan in the party presidential election. Kan is serving
the remainder of Hatoyama's term, which is due to expire in September.
Kenko Matsuki, deputy chief of the DPJ's Diet Affairs Committee and a close
aide to Ozawa, said he wants Ozawa to become prime minister and realize
policies he has been sitting on for a long time.
A party executive, meanwhile, said Ozawa is the only one who can work out a new
coalition government at this difficult time, adding that the question is
whether Kan is willing to seek his help.
Another party member imagines that Ozawa might be trying to break up the DPJ to
reorganize the country's political landscape.
Political sources, however, pointed out that public opinion is strongly set
against Ozawa over money scandals involving his political fund management
body's land purchase.
Prosecutors had decided not to indict Ozawa over the funding scandals, citing
the lack of evidence.
But an independent judicial panel last week labeled as inappropriate a decision
by prosecutors not to indict him over allegations that the fund management body
falsified reports on income and expenditure for 2007.
Another inquest committee may make its second decision after the DPJ
presidential election in September on the fund management body's alleged
falsification of funds reports for 2004 and 2005. In its earlier conclusion in
April, the panel said Ozawa merits indictment over the 2004 and 2005 funds
report case.
Prosecutors decided in May for a second time not to indict Ozawa, but if the
11-member panel decides again in favor of indictment with the endorsement of
more than eight members, a team of court-appointed lawyers will act as
prosecutors and file criminal charges against Ozawa as stipulated in the
inquest of prosecution law.
A veteran DPJ member said Ozawa cannot make any moves until the committee comes
up with its second decision.
Political sources said Ozawa would suffer immeasurable damage if the committee
calls for his indictment.
A mid-ranking DPJ member said, ''It is Ozawa's habit to go into hiding. I
wonder if it is democracy for someone to hide when he finds circumstances
inconvenient for him.''
==Kyodo