Asked by Japan PM to distance self from party: Ichiro Ozawa

Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan asked party powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa to "distance himself" from the party until his trial over a political funds scandal is over, Ozawa told a news conference on Thursday.

Ozawa, a seasoned political strategist who once headed the ruling party, was indicted last week over a funding scandal, adding to Kan's woes as he contends with a divided parliament, sagging public support and massive public debt.

Ruling Democratic party secretary-general Katsuya Okada told a separate news conference that Ozawa had replied that he had no intention of leaving the party voluntarily.