小沢氏再聴取 検察は改めて真相解明めざせ

Prosecutors should verify truth in Ozawa case
The Yomiuri Shimbun (May. 17, 2010)
小沢氏再聴取　検察は改めて真相解明めざせ（5月16日付・読売社説）

The Tokyo District Public Prosectors Office's special investigation squad questioned Democratic Party of Japan Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa on Saturday. The questioning is part of prosecutors' reinvestigation into Ozawa's fund management body's alleged false reporting of political funds after the Tokyo No. 5 Committee for the Inquest of Prosecution decided last month that he merits indictment over the case.
　民主党の小沢幹事長が１５日、東京地検特捜部の事情聴取を受けた。先の検察審査会の「起訴相当」議決を受けた再捜査の一環である。

During the questioning, the prosecutors are believed once again to have asked Ozawa whether he was involved in falsifying the political fund report. Ozawa apparently denied involvement, as he did before.
　この日の聴取で特捜部は、改めて政治資金収支報告書虚偽記入への、小沢氏本人の関与の認識などを質(ただ)したようだ。小沢氏はこれまで同様、否定したとみられる。

It was the third round of questioning of Ozawa by the special investigation squad. Ozawa was surprisingly quick in responding to the questioning this time compared with the squad's request for its first round of inquiries in January, for which Ozawa refused to appear for more than two weeks, saying he was busy.
　小沢氏に対する特捜部の聴取はこれが３度目だ。１月に最初の聴取要請を受けた際には、多忙などを理由に半月以上も応じなかったのに比べると、驚くほどの対応の早さである。

Three days ago, Ozawa expressed his intention to attend the Political Ethics Hearing Committee of the House of Representatives to explain the facts related to the allegations.
　３日前には、衆院政治倫理審査会に出席して事実関係を説明する意向を表明している。

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Ozawa should state his case

Since the prosecutors decided not to charge Ozawa in February, citing insufficient evidence, the DPJ heavyweight insisted there was no need for him to offer an explanation in the Diet, saying, "It's become clear that I didn't do anything wrong."
　小沢氏は２月に不起訴（嫌疑不十分）となって以降、「不正をしていないことが明らかになった」として国会での説明は不要との立場を繰り返してきた。

Ozawa might consider that declaring his innocence, both during prosecutorial questioning and before the Diet, would provide a good opportunity to fend off criticism that he has heretofore evaded his responsibility to offer an explanation.
　事情聴取と国会の両方で自身の潔白を主張することで、「説明責任を果たせ」との批判をかわす好機ととらえたのかもしれない。

From his response, Ozawa's strategy to draw a line under the scandal can be seen as follows: Sooner or later, the prosecutors will decide not to indict him. He then will offer an explanation over the scandal at the Diet's Political Ethics Hearing Committee and insist he has fulfilled his responsibility. At that point, the committee for the inquest of prosecution would not be likely to conclude he should be indicted.
　検察が早晩、再び「不起訴」の結論を出す。政倫審で説明をし、「これで責任は果たした」と主張する。そうすれば、検察審の２度目の議決も「起訴すべき」には至るまい――。そんな小沢氏の“幕引き戦術”が透けて見える。

The prosecutors should strongly recognize the significance of this time's questioning of Ozawa.
　検察当局には、今回の聴取の重要性を強く認識してもらいたい。

When the independent judicial panel decided that Ozawa merited indictment, some officials within the prosecutors office said the decision not to charge Ozawa would not be overturned unless they obtained new evidence.
「起訴相当」議決の際にも検察内部には「新たな証拠が得られない限り、不起訴の結論は変わらないだろう」という声があった。

Finishing the questioning as a mere formality while concluding from the outset Ozawa should not be indicted is an abdication by the prosecutors of their responsibility to verify the truth. Such an attitude also is tantamount to disregarding the committee for the inquest of prosecution, which gathers opinions of the general public.
　すでに結論ありきの形式的聴取に終わらせるなら、それは検察の事実解明責任の放棄であろう。一般市民の意を汲(く)む検察審の軽視にもつながる。

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Public trust undermined

Ozawa still bears a heavy political responsibility.
　小沢氏には、依然として重い政治責任がある。

Ozawa's own fund management body, Rikuzan-kai, was at the heart of the scandal in relation to which the prosecutors charged three of Ozawa's former secretaries. How does Ozawa view his supervisory responsibility over his secretaries?
　今回の事件では、小沢氏の元秘書ら３人が刑事訴追されている。事件の舞台となったのは、ほかならぬ小沢氏の資金管理団体「陸山会」だ。秘書に対する監督責任をどう受け止めているのか。

"A lawmaker is held responsible for a crime committed by his or her secretary." This is what Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said when he pointed the finger of blame at Liberal Democratic Party politicians. The public probably shares the same sensibility.
　「秘書の犯罪は議員の責任」とは、鳩山首相がかつて自民党の政治家を指弾する時に口にした言葉だ。世間の感覚も同じだろう。

It is undeniable that the lawmakers' response of "making their inferiors carry the can," in which blame for transgressions is laid only on their secretaries, has increased people's distrust of politics. In opinion surveys, the great majority said Ozawa should resign as DPJ secretary general.
　秘書だけに責任を負わせる「トカゲのシッポ切り」の対応が、国民の政治不信を増幅させたことは否定できない。各種世論調査でも、小沢氏は幹事長を辞任すべきだとの声が圧倒的に多い。

If the prosecutors decide again not to indict Ozawa, the committee for the inquest of prosecution will revisit the case. The questioning of Ozawa never ends.
　再度「不起訴」なら検察審の第２幕が開く。小沢氏の追及は終わらない。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 16, 2010)
（2010年5月16日01時31分 読売新聞）