ニュース 2009/03/07 Ozawa says comments by high official "LDP will not be investigated" are "strange if true" On March 6, DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa responded to questions from the press at the DPJ headquarters and criticized comments made by a government official that "[Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office] is unlikely to make investigations into the Liberal Democratic Party(LDP)" in connection with Nishimatsu Construction Co.'s donation problem. Ozawa said, "I have not directly heard the comments, and am not in a position to comment, but if such comments were truly made, I think they are a little strange." The government high official's comments, which were made to reporters, have come under criticism from both the ruling and opposition parities. On reports that Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Toshihiro Nikai had received donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. and on speculation being made about links between the company's donations and the LDP, Ozawa said, "I do not know about Mr. Nikai's situation. As for the accountability to the public, I feel this is a matter that Mr. Nikai himself and the LDP should think about." Asked about when he would make the decision to leave his post as DPJ head, Ozawa said, "I have said that the arrest of my secretary does not make sense. Under current circumstances, I do not think there will be an indictment and I do not think that the courts will find him guilty. [The decision will be made] as a matter of common sense, when a final conclusion becomes clear." On returning the donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co., Ozawa said, "I have said from the beginning that if and when it has been determined that funds for political organizations have been collected through illegal means or though circumvention of the law, the funds will be returned. That intention remains unchanged." As for media reports quoting people from public works projects saying that his secretary Takanori Okubo wielded large influence, the DPJ president said, "I do not think that he had a very large influence, and I do not think that he used his influence in a variety of ways."