Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

TOKYO, Japan - Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa is pictured in a car as he arrives at the Tokyo District Court in Tokyo on Feb. 17, 2012. The court decided against admitting as evidence most of the depositions taken by prosecutors from one of the former aides to Ozawa over alleged false reporting of political funds.

Official likely to be acquitted of fraud

Official likely to be acquitted of fraud

OSAKA, Japan - Atsuko Muraki, a former senior official of the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, enters the Osaka District Court on May 26, 2010, to attend a hearing of her trial on a charge of issuing a fabricated ministry document. The court is expected to acquit Muraki, who is on leave over the case, as it decided the same day not to admit as evidence most of the depositions of her colleagues that linked her to an abuse of a mail discount system for the handicapped. (Kyodo)

Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

TOKYO, Japan - Former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa is pictured in a car as he arrives at the Tokyo District Court in Tokyo on Feb. 17, 2012. The court decided against admitting as evidence most of the depositions taken by prosecutors from one of the former aides to Ozawa over alleged false reporting of political funds. (Kyodo)

Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

Court rejects as evidence ex-Ozawa aide's depositions

TOKYO, Japan - File photo shows former Democratic Party of Japan leader Ichiro Ozawa (upper L), and his three former aides Tomohiro Ishikawa (upper R), Takanori Okubo (lower L) and Mitsutomo Ikeda (lower R). The Tokyo District Court decided on Feb. 17, 2012, against admitting as evidence in Ozawa's trial most of the depositions taken by prosecutors from Ishikawa over alleged false reporting of political funds. A team of three court-appointed lawyers who serve as prosecutors in the trial had called on the court to adopt 42 sets of depositions taken by prosecutors from Ishikawa, Ikeda and Okubo, all of whom were once secretaries to Ozawa. (Kyodo)