Japan PM keeps party kingpin

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said on Wednesday he wanted to keep ruling Democratic Party Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa in his job after a judicial review panel said he should be indicted over a funding scandal.

The panel's ruling on Tuesday, which could lead to an indictment within several months, dealt a severe blow to the already floundering party ahead of a key upper house election it needs to win to avoid policy deadlock.

"I want Secretary-General Ozawa to continue as he is," Hatoyama told reporters.