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On the afternoon of March 6, DPJ Secretary General Yukio Hatoyama, speaking at a regular press conference, criticized the comments made by a government official that Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office is unlikely to investigate the Liberal Democratic Party in connection with the fundraising problem involving Nishimatsu Construction Co. The high official had commented, "On this matter, I think it unlikely that (Tokyo prosecutors) will look into the LDP." "It was a careless comment," said Hatoyama. "It was a comment that gave oneself away. It is extremely strange that he can be so sure of his words and behavior. I cannot help but feel suspicious. I feel that there must have been some sort of talk between the Cabinet and prosecutors. I cannot help suspecting that the prosecutors must have sent some kind of message to the Cabinet."
Hatoyama also pointed out that on matters such as this that are regulated by the Political Funds Control Law, the problem is not whether the amount of funds is large or small. "It is very weird that lines should be drawn, as if it is problematic if the funds are large, and okay if the funds are not large."
The DPJ Secretary General then said it is a problem that information which no one knows yet is true or false, is being circulated. Noting that information which appears to have come from the arrested chief secretary is going around, Hatoyama said that only the prosecutors would know of such information. "This could be a leak by the prosecutors. There is some kind of political intention at work here, and I would like to alert this as a possible criminal act (in violation of the National Civil Service Law)."
Regarding the Upper House deliberations which have started on the fiscal 2009 budget, Hatoyama said, "There are issues that have not be sufficiently debated in the Lower House, and so we would like to have proper discussions in the Upper House." He said that during the Upper House deliberations, the DPJ would continue to demand that the Lower House be dissolved so that a general election can be held. "The Aso cabinet is not living up to the expectations of the people. The public thinks that a change in administration is necessary, and to respond to the public's expectations, we will continue to make preparations for an election."
Asked by reporters about how the election will be affected by the problem involving the chief secretary of DPJ President Ichiro Ozawa, Hatoyama said it is the secretary general's role to remove worries and mitigate the effect on the local election and the national election as much as possible. "We believe that there has been no wrongdoing. We would like to draw all the forces within the party and fight together as one."
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