[TODAY'S TOP STORIES] from [The Japan Times]
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
DPJ lawmaker held in Ozawa fund scam
Ex-aide tied to shady land buy; allies tell kingpin to come clean
Kyodo News
Prosecutors Friday arrested Democratic Party of Japan Lower House member Tomohiro Ishikawa in connection with a dubious land deal linked to DPJ No. 2 Ichiro Ozawa's political fund management organ.
Ishikawa, 36, used to oversee clerical work at Rikuzankai, Ozawa's funds body, before he became a lawmaker. Prosecutors believe Ishikawa played a role in the 2004 Tokyo land buy, in which an unregistered \400 million was allegedly used.
He claimed the ¥400 million was handed over as "loans" from Ozawa. Prosecutors apparently suspect Ozawa got the cash from general contractors.
Two other ex-Ozawa aides also face arrest, including one now on trial.
Ruling bloc lawmakers earlier Friday urged Ozawa, the DPJ secretary general, to come clean about the Rikuzankai funds scandal.
Transport minister Seiji Maehara said: "People are closely watching to see if news reports (on the scandal) are true. It is very important for a lawmaker to provide adequate explanations."
The secretaries general of the DPJ's partners — Yasumasa Shigeno of the Social Democratic Party and Shozaburo Jimi of Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) — also said Ozawa should explain himself.
While the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito hope in the coming Diet session to grill Ozawa and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, the DPJ president, who recently agreed to pay over \500 million in gift taxes for shady funds from his tycoon heiress mother, Finance Minister Naoto Kan said debate should focus on the budget amid the economic funk.
Hatoyama, for his part, said that despite the scandal, he is determined to fulfill the mandate he received after his DPJ swept the election last August.
The Ozawa scandal "had already been a topic before the general election, but many in the public chose the DPJ in spite of this kind of problem," Hatoyama said outside his official residence. "So we must fulfill our responsibilities."
Hatoyama expressed understanding about Ozawa's refusal to go into detail about the scandal, reckoning "there is naturally a limit to which he can talk about it" while the prosecutors' probe is under way.
He acknowledged, however, that the people feel Ozawa has not fulfilled his duty to explain the accounting irregularities at Rikuzankai.
Ozawa, who wields huge clout within the ruling party as secretary general and election strategist, has come under fresh fire after prosecutors searched his office, as well as that of his fund management body and Kajima Construction Co. over the accounting irregularities Wednesday.
Hatoyama later said efforts are needed to create a "clean constitution" in politics when it comes to politicians and their links to money. Although Ozawa is mired in scandal, Hatoyama said he will retain him as secretary general and plans to head into the July Upper House poll under the ex-DPJ leader's guidance.
Ozawa quit the DPJ presidency last spring after ex-aide Takanori Okubo was charged over alleged illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. to Rikuzankai. Okubo now faces a fresh warrant, and ex-aide Mitsutomo Ikeda also faces arrest.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
MSDF wraps up eight-year Indian Ocean mission
Kyodo News
The Maritime Self-Defense Force was ordered Friday to end its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, as a law authorizing it expires.
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa issued the order that will terminate at midnight the MSDF operations that have continued for most of the period since December 2001.
As an alternative support measure, Japan has pledged to offer up to $5 billion in civilian aid to Afghanistan.
The 13,500-ton supply ship Mashu and 4,550-ton destroyer Ikazuchi will now exit the Indian Ocean.
Kitazawa told reporters Friday morning that he "respects" the MSDF efforts in the mission that has lasted about eight years, and he believes the "high level" of Japan's refueling technique was demonstrated to the world through the operations.
The minister said, however, demand for such operations had been declining in recent years, and Japan will come up with fresh international contribution measures.
Japan has provided about 510,000 kiloliters of fuel to vessels from 12 countries, including the United States, France, Britain and Pakistan, in 938 missions as of Dec. 31, according to a Defense Ministry tally.
The cost of fuel provided to foreign vessels in the mission since fiscal 2001 has exceeded ¥24 billion. The MSDF is to conduct its last refueling mission Friday.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
Nagasaki drops bid to host '20 Olympics with Hiroshima
Kyodo News
NAGASAKI — The city of Nagasaki has given up its bid to cohost the 2020 Summer Olympics with Hiroshima, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said Friday.
But Nagasaki would be willing to offer its full cooperation to Hiroshima if the city tries to host the event alone, the mayor said at a meeting of city assembly members.
The announcement came after Taue and Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba were told by International Olympic Committee Vice President Chiharu Igaya earlier this week that it would be difficult for the cities to jointly host the Olympics even with a concession they have made to try to comply with a stipulation in the Olympic Charter that only one city can host the Olympics.
The two cities had sought to "effectively" cohost the games by having Hiroshima alone apply to be the host city while unofficially calling the event the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Olympics."
In a statement issued after the announcement, Akiba said, "We would like to accept the decision as a way to open up future developments."
"We hope to continue to jointly work for the dream of hosting the 2020 Olympics," he said.
The two cities announced in October after the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's bid to host the 2016 Olympics was dashed, that they wanted to cohost the 2020 games to mark their goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons by 2020.
But the Japanese Olympic Committee turned down their bid last month, saying it is not in a position to go against the Olympic Charter, while suggesting that it would have a chance for success if either city makes a bid.
On the development, JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda said the Japanese committee is willing to "substantially consider" whether to support Hiroshima's bid if it formally files to host the event alone, saying such a move would "produce a possibility."
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
DPJ lawmaker held in Ozawa fund scam
Ex-aide tied to shady land buy; allies tell kingpin to come clean
Kyodo News
Prosecutors Friday arrested Democratic Party of Japan Lower House member Tomohiro Ishikawa in connection with a dubious land deal linked to DPJ No. 2 Ichiro Ozawa's political fund management organ.
Ishikawa, 36, used to oversee clerical work at Rikuzankai, Ozawa's funds body, before he became a lawmaker. Prosecutors believe Ishikawa played a role in the 2004 Tokyo land buy, in which an unregistered \400 million was allegedly used.
He claimed the ¥400 million was handed over as "loans" from Ozawa. Prosecutors apparently suspect Ozawa got the cash from general contractors.
Two other ex-Ozawa aides also face arrest, including one now on trial.
Ruling bloc lawmakers earlier Friday urged Ozawa, the DPJ secretary general, to come clean about the Rikuzankai funds scandal.
Transport minister Seiji Maehara said: "People are closely watching to see if news reports (on the scandal) are true. It is very important for a lawmaker to provide adequate explanations."
The secretaries general of the DPJ's partners — Yasumasa Shigeno of the Social Democratic Party and Shozaburo Jimi of Kokumin Shinto (People's New Party) — also said Ozawa should explain himself.
While the Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito hope in the coming Diet session to grill Ozawa and Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, the DPJ president, who recently agreed to pay over \500 million in gift taxes for shady funds from his tycoon heiress mother, Finance Minister Naoto Kan said debate should focus on the budget amid the economic funk.
Hatoyama, for his part, said that despite the scandal, he is determined to fulfill the mandate he received after his DPJ swept the election last August.
The Ozawa scandal "had already been a topic before the general election, but many in the public chose the DPJ in spite of this kind of problem," Hatoyama said outside his official residence. "So we must fulfill our responsibilities."
Hatoyama expressed understanding about Ozawa's refusal to go into detail about the scandal, reckoning "there is naturally a limit to which he can talk about it" while the prosecutors' probe is under way.
He acknowledged, however, that the people feel Ozawa has not fulfilled his duty to explain the accounting irregularities at Rikuzankai.
Ozawa, who wields huge clout within the ruling party as secretary general and election strategist, has come under fresh fire after prosecutors searched his office, as well as that of his fund management body and Kajima Construction Co. over the accounting irregularities Wednesday.
Hatoyama later said efforts are needed to create a "clean constitution" in politics when it comes to politicians and their links to money. Although Ozawa is mired in scandal, Hatoyama said he will retain him as secretary general and plans to head into the July Upper House poll under the ex-DPJ leader's guidance.
Ozawa quit the DPJ presidency last spring after ex-aide Takanori Okubo was charged over alleged illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. to Rikuzankai. Okubo now faces a fresh warrant, and ex-aide Mitsutomo Ikeda also faces arrest.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
MSDF wraps up eight-year Indian Ocean mission
Kyodo News
The Maritime Self-Defense Force was ordered Friday to end its refueling mission in the Indian Ocean in support of U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, as a law authorizing it expires.
Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa issued the order that will terminate at midnight the MSDF operations that have continued for most of the period since December 2001.
As an alternative support measure, Japan has pledged to offer up to $5 billion in civilian aid to Afghanistan.
The 13,500-ton supply ship Mashu and 4,550-ton destroyer Ikazuchi will now exit the Indian Ocean.
Kitazawa told reporters Friday morning that he "respects" the MSDF efforts in the mission that has lasted about eight years, and he believes the "high level" of Japan's refueling technique was demonstrated to the world through the operations.
The minister said, however, demand for such operations had been declining in recent years, and Japan will come up with fresh international contribution measures.
Japan has provided about 510,000 kiloliters of fuel to vessels from 12 countries, including the United States, France, Britain and Pakistan, in 938 missions as of Dec. 31, according to a Defense Ministry tally.
The cost of fuel provided to foreign vessels in the mission since fiscal 2001 has exceeded ¥24 billion. The MSDF is to conduct its last refueling mission Friday.
[NATIONAL NEWS]
Saturday, Jan. 16, 2010
Nagasaki drops bid to host '20 Olympics with Hiroshima
Kyodo News
NAGASAKI — The city of Nagasaki has given up its bid to cohost the 2020 Summer Olympics with Hiroshima, Nagasaki Mayor Tomihisa Taue said Friday.
But Nagasaki would be willing to offer its full cooperation to Hiroshima if the city tries to host the event alone, the mayor said at a meeting of city assembly members.
The announcement came after Taue and Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba were told by International Olympic Committee Vice President Chiharu Igaya earlier this week that it would be difficult for the cities to jointly host the Olympics even with a concession they have made to try to comply with a stipulation in the Olympic Charter that only one city can host the Olympics.
The two cities had sought to "effectively" cohost the games by having Hiroshima alone apply to be the host city while unofficially calling the event the "Hiroshima-Nagasaki Olympics."
In a statement issued after the announcement, Akiba said, "We would like to accept the decision as a way to open up future developments."
"We hope to continue to jointly work for the dream of hosting the 2020 Olympics," he said.
The two cities announced in October after the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's bid to host the 2016 Olympics was dashed, that they wanted to cohost the 2020 games to mark their goal of eliminating all nuclear weapons by 2020.
But the Japanese Olympic Committee turned down their bid last month, saying it is not in a position to go against the Olympic Charter, while suggesting that it would have a chance for success if either city makes a bid.
On the development, JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda said the Japanese committee is willing to "substantially consider" whether to support Hiroshima's bid if it formally files to host the event alone, saying such a move would "produce a possibility."
※コメント投稿者のブログIDはブログ作成者のみに通知されます