HONG KONG — The looming indictment of Ichiro Ozawa for false reporting of political funds leaves Prime Minister Naoto Kan in a tricky spot about what to do about the still powerful shadow shogun of Japanese politics.

He should thank Ozawa for his tremendous contribution to Japanese politics over the past 20 years, particularly for his help in forming and seeing the ruling Democratic Party of Japan to victory, and then persuade him to leave party, Parliament and politics to fight to clear his name. If he can't persuade Ozawa, he should kick him out and get on with the more important job of being prime minister and finding a new path for a country that has lost its way.

It may be risky. Ozawa is stubborn, commands the loyalties of almost half the DPJ members and has been the party's guiding star and leading fundraiser. And of course, in Japan a person is presumed innocent until proved guilty. But the risks of having the indicted Ozawa inside the government camp and taunted by an uncooperative opposition could bring parliamentary business to a standstill. Continuing to grapple with an Ozawa problem will divert time and energy from more important pressing problems of state.