Japan ruling-party heavyweight likely to dodge funds probe
Ichiro Ozawa
Ozawa -- regarded by many pundits as the power behind the throne occupied by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama -- is now expected to stay on as DPJ secretary general as the party heads into upper house elections in July.
 A bare-knuckle political fighter who defected from the conservative party  Ozawa has denied any wrongdoing  repeatedly saying that he had left the details of any funds transactions up to his secretaries.
 Hatoyama again defended Ozawa  whom he replaced as DPJ president last year after Ozawa stepped down over a separate political funding scandal  in which he also professed his innocence.
 "He has offered explanations in questioning by prosecutors " the premier told reporters. "He has also held many press conferences on this issue. I think he has accounted for himself to the best of his knowledge."
 An unidentified DPJ executive told Jiji Press: "We are now over the hump -- no more pressure for him to step down."
 Opposition lawmakers carried on their attacks against Ozawa.
 Political observers said that even if Ozawa is vindicated  the funds scandal will inevitably affect the party in the upper house elections  in which the DPJ hopes to achieve sole control of parliament.
 "I don't think many people will be convinced that Ozawa was perfectly clean  even if that is the conclusion " said Tomoaki Iwai  politics professor at Nihon University. "Now it's the public's turn to give its verdict."
[TGT] -- regarded by many pundits as the power behind the throne occupied by Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama -- is now expected to stay on as DPJ secretary general as the party heads into upper house elections in July.
 A bare-knuckle political fighter who defected from the conservative party  [TGT] has denied any wrongdoing  repeatedly saying that [TGT] had left the details of any funds transactions up to [TGT] secretaries.
 Hatoyama again defended [TGT]whom he replaced as DPJ president last year after [TGT] stepped down over a separate political funding scandal  in which [TGT] also professed [TGT] innocence.
 "[TGT] has offered explanations in questioning by prosecutors " the premier told reporters. "[TGT] has also held many press conferences on this issue. I think [TGT] has accounted for [TGT] to the best of [TGT] knowledge."
 An unidentified DPJ executive told Jiji Press: "We are now over the hump -- no more pressure for [TGT] to step down."
 Opposition lawmakers carried on their attacks against [TGT].
 Political observers said that even if [TGT] is vindicated  the funds scandal will inevitably affect the party in the upper house elections  in which the DPJ hopes to achieve sole control of parliament.
 "I don't think many people will be convinced that [TGT] was perfectly clean  even if that is the conclusion " said Tomoaki Iwai  politics professor at Nihon University. "Now it's the public's turn to give its verdict."