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2010/01/16
Ozawa addresses convention, vows to fight prosecutors
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On January 16, at the DPJ Annual Party Convention for 2010, DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa obtained the permission of the Convention Chairs and the Convention as a whole to make a special address to the floor. He expressed his intention to fight the prosecutors over fundraising violation allegations, saying, “From now on, I intend to do my utmost to fulfil my assigned role, as well as confronting such power-wielding methods [used by prosecutors] head-on.”
Ozawa went on to say, “We are now faced with a situation where an incumbent Diet member has been arrested” and explained the circumstances leading up to these events. Furthermore, with regard to the allegations that the Political Funds Control Law had been violated, he stated that up until now errors of description such as the ones stated in this case had been dealt with by allowing revision or correction of fund reports to take place, but that suddenly, since March last year, such errors had been targeted with arrests and forcible searches. Ozawa said that he is “not convinced” by such methods, and went on to deny the allegations of prosecutors and media reports, saying, “Recently, the media has reported on the purchase of land by [my political fund-raising body] saying that we used funds obtained in an unlawful manner for such a purchase, but we have not used any unlawful money for such funds.”
Furthermore, Ozawa revealed that there had been an enquiry from the prosecutor’s office regarding the funds, to which his office had responded, via a lawyer, that the money was savings, detailing the bank branch concerned, and that the prosecutors had then informed his office that they had obtained documentation regarding the bank account.
Furthermore, Ozawa commented that it seemed almost as if prosecutors had timed arrests to coincide with the party convention, and stated, “This kind of behaviour cannot be permitted. If it is to be allowed, the future for Japanese democracy looks black indeed.” He went on, “I am determined to fight to remain true to my own convictions.”
Ozawa continued by saying that in order to devote the necessary time to this struggle he would be asking Acting Secretary General Azuma Koshiishi to deputize for him on an increasing number of occasions, and asked for the party’s understanding for this.
Ozawa concluded his speech by calling on the party to make every effort toward this summer’s House of Councillors election, saying, “During the forty years of my political career up until today, I have carried out my endeavours with only one aim in mind, that is to see parliamentary democracy, a true democracy in which changes of government are possible, established in Japan. This year a regular election for the House of Councillors is scheduled. A victory in this election would strengthen the foundations of the Hatoyama administration, as well as establishing parliamentary democracy in Japan.”
Ozawa’s speech received a warm round of applause.
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