DPJ suspends Mr. Ozawa
(From The Japan Times February 24 issue)

小沢元代表の処分決定

The Democratic Party of Japan leadership Feb. 22 endorsed the unanimous decision earlier in the day by the party's six-member ethics panel to suspend the party membership of former party chief Ichiro Ozawa over his indictment in a funds reporting scandal.

Mr. Ozawa could have avoided this humiliation as well as confusion in the party and Japanese politics if he had spoken early enough about his case in the Diet. Despite the disciplinary measure, he should seriously consider making efforts on his own to clear suspicions about him.

The suspension of party membership is the lightest of disciplinary steps the DPJ can take against members who have behaved improperly. Usually the period of suspension lasts a maximum six months. But Prime Minister Naoto Kan and other anti-Ozawa party leaders chose to suspend Mr. Ozawa from the membership until his trial's ruling is finalized. He will not be allowed to attend formal party functions and cannot run in a party election to pick a party leader. The DPJ may not put him on the party ticket in elections. This is harsh treatment of a politician who made the biggest contribution to bringing the DPJ to power.

Mr. Kan and his supporters made the decision against Mr. Ozawa, apparently thinking that meting out harsh treatment to him will boost the approval rating of the Kan Cabinet, which has dropped below 20 percent, and help Mr. Kan steer through the political difficulties he faces. But their action will further deepen the division within the party, thus weakening the DPJ vis-a-vis the opposition forces.

They also failed to uphold the principle of presumption of innocence concerning Mr. Ozawa. In addition, his case is not bribery. Public prosecutors had decided twice not to indict him. His indictment was not an ordinary indictment but due to a decision by a citizens' legal panel.

Even so Mr. Ozawa must act responsibly as a politician. He should persuade 16 DPJ Lower House members who have revolted against the party leadership not to take rash action in Diet voting that will wreck the DPJ as a ruling party.

民主党は政治資金規正法違反で強制起訴された小沢元代表の処分を、判決確定までの党員資格停止と発表した。党の倫理委員会が処分を全会一致で決定、党常任幹事会がそれを確定した。

党規則の最も軽い処分で、小沢氏は会議出席や代表選への立候補ができなくなり、総選挙で公認を得られない可能性がある。民主党の政権掌握に最も貢献した政治家に対する処分としては厳しい。

菅首相と彼を支持する議員らは今回の処分で内閣支持率回復を狙ったようだが、党内はさらに分裂し野党に対抗する勢いは弱まるだろう。

小沢氏に対する推定無罪の原則も守られていない。氏のケースは収賄が立証されておらず、検察は2度不起訴としている。通常の起訴ではなく国民によって構成された検察審査会によるものだ。

それでも、小沢氏は政治家として責任ある行動をとるべきだ。党執行部を批判して会派離脱を表明した民主党の衆院議員16人に対し、軽はずみに国会での採択で造反し政権党である民主党を崩壊させないよう説得すべきだ。