Ichiro Ozawa: Court clears Japan's 'shadow shogun'
Influential Japanese politician Ichiro Ozawa has been found not guilty in a funding scandal.
Mr Ozawa, dubbed Japan's "shadow shogun" because of the backroom power he wields, had been accused of violating political fundraising laws.
But he had argued it was a technical mistake of which he had been unaware.
Mr Ozawa leads the largest faction in the ruling Democratic Party (DPJ) and is considered one of the most powerful men in Japanese politics.
The verdict was handed down by the Tokyo District Court.
Correspondents say the ruling could impact on the government of Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, already hit by low public support.
OZAWA TIMELINE
- 2003: Merges Liberal Party with DPJ
- 2006: Becomes DPJ leader
- 2009: Resigns as DPJ leader amid funding scandal, just ahead of landmark poll win
- 2010: Challenges PM Naoto Kan for party leadership but fails
- 2011: Goes on trial over funding scandal
- 2012: Cleared by Tokyo court over funding scandal
Mr Ozawa strongly opposes Mr Noda's plan to double sales tax as a way of tackling Japan's debt.
Mr Ozawa, who once led the DPJ, had been accused of overseeing false accounting by his staff.
Three of his former aides were convicted last year in connection with the scandal, which relates to a 2004 land deal.
Mr Ozawa denied any wrongdoing, saying the charges were politically motivated.