Wednesday 15th December, 03:31 PM JST
TOKYO —
Ichiro Ozawa, former leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, on Wednesday expressed his intention not to testify at a parliamentary ethics panel concerning allegations of financial misconduct, calling demands from within the party for him to do so as ‘‘unreasonable.’‘
‘‘My own party is demanding that I appear (before the House of Representatives political ethics committee) as though it was prompted by squabbling within the party, even when opposition parties are not calling for my appearance,’’ Ozawa was quoted as saying by sources who heard him speak at a political seminar that he hosted the same day.
DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada said earlier that the party will have to decide whether to request Ozawa’s appearance before the committee if he formally refuses to testify. Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who doubles as DPJ leader, said he will back Okada in dealing with the matter.
Ozawa is said to have stated at the day’s event held at a Tokyo hotel, ‘‘It’s not that I refuse (to testify) but Diet proceedings and the lives of people will not get any better because of it.’‘
‘‘The matter will be eventually decided in a court of law so in the meantime, I want to work for the betterment of people’s lives,’’ Ozawa said, expressing his willingness to continue his political activity.
Ozawa faces mandatory indictment over allegations that his fund management body falsely reported funds.
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