The chief secretary of Ichiro Ozawa, head of the Democratic Party of Japan and a leading candidate to be the next prime minister, was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of accepting illegal corporate donations, prosecutors said.
Takanori Okubo serves as chief accountant of Ozawa's political body, Rikuzankai, which allegedly took money from scandal-tainted Nishimatsu Construction Co., according to investigative sources.
Ozawa is in line to become prime minister if his party wins the next general election, which must be held by autumn.