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Ozawa refuses PM's request to leave ruling party
Source: Agencies |
February 11, 2011, Friday
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JAPANESE ruling party powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa yesterday refused a request from Prime Minister Naoto Kan to leave the party until his trial over a funding scandal ended, posing a dilemma for the embattled premier.
Kan, struggling with sagging ratings and a divided parliament where he needs opposition help to enact a workable budget, must now decide whether to force Ozawa out, despite his clout as a veteran strategist and a leader of a group of lawmakers in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
Ozawa's scandal-tainted image, along with the DPJ's flip-flops over costly campaign promises, diplomatic missteps and doubts about Kan's leadership, has helped slice support for the government to below 30 percent.
But pushing him out would anger Ozawa's party backers at a time when their votes in parliament are crucial to pass bills to implement a 92.4 trillion yen (US$1 trillion) budget for the fiscal year from April 1.
Ozawa, a former DPJ leader who has repeatedly said he had done nothing wrong and has vowed to clear his name in court, said he wanted to remain in the party.
"It can't be helped if a majority (in the party) think that I should distance myself from the party or that the party should punish me in some way. But this isn't appropriate for the advancement of sound party politics or for democracy," Ozawa said.
"I have disclosed all (of my funding records) and have not done anything wrong."
Ozawa was indicted last week over suspected misreporting by his political funding body after a judicial panel of ordinary citizens ruled last year that he must be charged.
Kan said DPJ executives would discuss how to deal with Ozawa's fate. Media reports have said party executives were considering suspending Ozawa's party membership for six months, cutting him off from party funds or official support.
Kan, struggling with sagging ratings and a divided parliament where he needs opposition help to enact a workable budget, must now decide whether to force Ozawa out, despite his clout as a veteran strategist and a leader of a group of lawmakers in the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.
Ozawa's scandal-tainted image, along with the DPJ's flip-flops over costly campaign promises, diplomatic missteps and doubts about Kan's leadership, has helped slice support for the government to below 30 percent.
But pushing him out would anger Ozawa's party backers at a time when their votes in parliament are crucial to pass bills to implement a 92.4 trillion yen (US$1 trillion) budget for the fiscal year from April 1.
Ozawa, a former DPJ leader who has repeatedly said he had done nothing wrong and has vowed to clear his name in court, said he wanted to remain in the party.
"It can't be helped if a majority (in the party) think that I should distance myself from the party or that the party should punish me in some way. But this isn't appropriate for the advancement of sound party politics or for democracy," Ozawa said.
"I have disclosed all (of my funding records) and have not done anything wrong."
Ozawa was indicted last week over suspected misreporting by his political funding body after a judicial panel of ordinary citizens ruled last year that he must be charged.
Kan said DPJ executives would discuss how to deal with Ozawa's fate. Media reports have said party executives were considering suspending Ozawa's party membership for six months, cutting him off from party funds or official support.
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