Ozawa staffer to be indicted

TOKYO, March 23 (UPI) -- The secretary of Japanese opposition party leader Ichiro Ozawa is about to be indicted in a fundraising scandal, Kyodo news service reported Tuesday.

Sources close to the case told Kyodo charges were expected later in the day against Takanori Okubo, 47, who served as secretary to the president of the Democratic Party of Japan.

Okubo, who was arrested March 3, appeared to be denying allegations he violated political fundraising laws by accepting about $218,000 in donations from Nishimatsu Construction Co. between 2003 and 2006 as an accountant of Ozawa's political fund committee.

Investigators apparently have not yet questioned Ozawa directly on the matter.