小沢氏公判 「秘書任せ」で理解得られるか

The Yomiuri Shimbun (Jan. 13, 2012)
Ozawa's explanation unlikely to satisfy anyone
小沢氏公判　「秘書任せ」で理解得られるか（1月12日付・読売社説）

More than two years have passed since allegations against Ichiro Ozawa's political funds management organization surfaced over falsification of the political funds reports.
　政治資金収支報告書の虚偽記入の疑惑発覚から２年余り。

The political heavyweight has never offered an explanation about the accusations in the Diet. So what did he say in the court?
国会で一度も説明することのなかった政界の実力者は、法廷で何を語ったか。

Ozawa, a former Democratic Party of Japan president indicted on suspicion of violating the Political Funds Control Law over the purchase of land by Rikuzan-kai, his political funds management organization, was questioned for two days recently in the Tokyo District Court. The testimony drew wide attention as it was believed to be the climax of Ozawa's trial.
　資金管理団体・陸山会の土地購入を巡り、政治資金規正法違反に問われた民主党の小沢一郎元代表の裁判で、最大のヤマ場として注目された被告人質問が、２日間にわたり東京地裁で行われた。

In court, Ozawa said he "entirely entrusted [the political funds reports] to my secretaries" because he had "no time to pay attention directly" to them.
　小沢氏は、収支報告書の作成に関し、「すべて秘書に任せていた」「直接関心を持ついとまはなかった」と主張した。

The main focus of the trial is whether the court will determine there was a conspiracy between Ozawa and his three former secretaries, including House of Representatives member Tomohiro Ishikawa, all of whom have been found guilty by the district court for falsifying the reports.
　この裁判のポイントは、虚偽記入の実行役として起訴され、１審の東京地裁で有罪判決を受けた石川知裕衆院議員ら元秘書と、小沢氏との間で共謀が成立するかどうかだ。

Ozawa's remarks constitute a denial of his involvement in falsely reporting political funds.
小沢氏の発言は自らの関与を否定するものである。

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Didn't kingpin take a peek?

However, we question Ozawa's contention that he "had never taken a look" at the political funds reports even after his trial started, in addition to leaving compilation of the reports solely to his secretaries.
　だが、疑問なのは、小沢氏が収支報告書を秘書任せにしただけでなく、自身の裁判が始まった後も含めて、「一度も見たことがない」と言い切ったことだ。

To ensure fair political activities under public scrutiny, a system was established under the Political Funds Control Law to ensure disclosure of political organizations' earnings and spending by political funds.
　政治資金規正法は、政治活動が国民の監視の下で公正に行われるようにするため、政治資金の収支の公開制度を設けている。

Political funds reports are an important source of information for people to decide whether political activities are being conducted fairly.
収支報告書は国民に判断材料を提供する重要な手がかりだ。

If Ozawa's statement is true, he should be criticized for belittling the spirit of the Political Funds Control Law.
　発言が事実なら、小沢氏は規正法の趣旨を軽んじていると批判されても仕方がない。

In fact, Ozawa has continually insisted all transactions made by his political funds organization are transparent. 　小沢氏は常々、「政治資金はすべてオープンにしている」と強調してきた。

Many people are probably wondering how Ozawa can make such a claim without looking at the political funds reports himself.
報告書も見ないで何を根拠にそう言えるのか、と疑問を抱く人も多かろう。

Moreover, politicians have supervisory responsibility over their secretaries. What does Ozawa think about that?
　さらに、政治家は秘書に対して監督責任を負っている。それをどう考えているのか。

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Land purchase still obscure

Rikuzan-kai paid 400 million yen to purchase the land, and Ozawa himself prepared the money. In court, Ozawa said the money came from "cash and profits on sales of real estate inherited from my parents, royalties on books and the salary I earned as a lawmaker."
　小沢氏が自ら用意した土地購入原資の４億円の出所については、「親から相続した現金や不動産の売却益のほか、印税や議員報酬だ」などと説明した。

However, Ozawa has changed his explanation about the money during questioning by prosecutors.
The district court ruling on Ishikawa and the other two secretaries pointed out that Ozawa had failed to offer a clear explanation on the matter.
　ただ、小沢氏は検察の事情聴取の過程で説明を変遷させており、石川議員らを有罪とした東京地裁判決でも「明快な説明ができていない」と指摘されていた。

To refute this criticism, Ozawa said in court he "did not know the exact details [of the money] at that time." However, this explanation fails to clear up the confusion.
　小沢氏は法廷で、「その時点では具体的に分かっていなかっただけだ」と弁明したものの、不透明さは拭いきれない。

The two days of questioning effectively ended the examination of Ozawa in court. It is now up to the district court to decide whether Ozawa is criminally responsible for the falsification of the political funds reports.
　この被告人質問で実質審理は終了し、小沢氏の刑事責任の有無は裁判所の判断に委ねられる。

Ozawa repeatedly has said he would reveal the truth in court. However, it is doubtful whether the public was convinced by his explanation when he thrust all the blame on his secretaries.
　「法廷で真実を述べる」と語ってきた小沢氏だが、「秘書任せ」の主張に説得力はあったのか。

Unless Ozawa sincerely offers to provide every detail of his political funds, it will be difficult for him to win public understanding.
自らの政治資金について説明を尽くす姿勢を示さぬ限り、国民の理解は得られないだろう。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 12, 2012)
（2012年1月12日01時21分 読売新聞）