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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Japan's opposition head 'to quit' | Japan's opposition head 'to quit' |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Japanese opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa has told his party he will resign, according to Japanese media sources. | Japanese opposition leader Ichiro Ozawa has told his party he will resign, according to Japanese media sources. |
| Mr Ozawa had been under pressure to go after a close aide was charged in a fundraising scandal in March. | Mr Ozawa had been under pressure to go after a close aide was charged in a fundraising scandal in March. |
| Before the scandal broke, Mr Ozawa was thought likely to unseat the flailing prime minister, Taro Aso, in elections later this year. | Before the scandal broke, Mr Ozawa was thought likely to unseat the flailing prime minister, Taro Aso, in elections later this year. |
| But recent opinion polls have suggested that his popularity has waned as a result of the scandal. | But recent opinion polls have suggested that his popularity has waned as a result of the scandal. |
| Just a few months ago, Mr Ozawa's Democratic Party was confident of victory in the next general election, which must be called by October. | Just a few months ago, Mr Ozawa's Democratic Party was confident of victory in the next general election, which must be called by October. |
| Such a victory would end almost 50 years of unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which is facing huge voter discontent amid the worsening economic gloom. | Such a victory would end almost 50 years of unbroken rule by the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which is facing huge voter discontent amid the worsening economic gloom. |
| But ever since the funding scandal broke, Mr Ozawa has been under pressure to quit. | But ever since the funding scandal broke, Mr Ozawa has been under pressure to quit. |
| Loss of confidence | |
| He told several senior members of his party he would quit because he did not want the scandal to hurt the party in coming poll, NHK and other media reported. | |
| "I want [the party] to win the election at any cost. I decided to resign for that reason," he told party officials, according to Jiji news agency. | |
| Tokyo prosecutors allege Mr Ozawa's political funding organisation received 21 million yen ($216,000; £142,000) in illegal donations from Nishimatsu Construction between 2003-07. | |
| One of his senior aides has been charged with political funding law violations, and two company executives have also been arrested. | One of his senior aides has been charged with political funding law violations, and two company executives have also been arrested. |
| Mr Ozawa left the LDP in 1993 after losing a power struggle and joined the Democrats after they formed in 1998. | |
| Commentators say he is a shrewd strategist but has been criticised for what some see as a high-handed attitude. | |
| Mr Ozawa is scheduled to hold a news conference later on Monday. | Mr Ozawa is scheduled to hold a news conference later on Monday. |