Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Friday he had no intention of intervening in prosecutors' investigation of arrested lawmaker Tomohiro Ishikawa when he told reporters the previous day he hopes his colleague will not be indicted.
"I said so with hope that the investigation will prove his innocence," Hatoyama told the House of Representatives Budget Committee. "I will withdraw the remarks if they are misleading."
He also told the committee, "As I was posed a hypothetical question (about what I would do if Ishikawa is indicted) by reporters, I responded that I don't want to consider such what-ifs."