The convictions Monday of Democratic Party of Japan ex-leader Ichiro Ozawa's former aides for making false entries in his political funds records will inevitably impact the kingpin's own trial that starts next month and weaken his clout in the ruling party, legal and political observers said Tuesday.
Legal experts interviewed by The Japan Times meanwhile criticized the verdicts because they believe the circumstantial evidence they were based on was not enough to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that at least one of the defendants, Takanori Okubo — Ozawa's former senior secretary, whose alleged involvement was based only on botched interrogation records — had conspired with the other defendants to cook the books.
Ozawa will be in trouble if the court, faced with a similar lack of evidence, follows the same logic as occurred Monday, they said.