politics

Ozawa hints at running in DPJ leadership race

26 Comments

Former Democratic Party of Japan Secretary-General Ichiro Ozawa has hinted that he may contest the DPJ's next leadership race.

Ozawa, whose party membership has been suspended pending the outcome of his trial on charges of violating the political funding law, told an Internet television program this week that he is willing to toss his hat into the ring after Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda's term of office as DPJ leader expires in September.

Ozawa has been critical of Noda since he became prime minister last summer, accusing him of reneging on one pledge after another in the DPJ's 2009 election-winning manifesto. He said the party has become fractured under Noda and he may have to step in to unify the DPJ.

A verdict in the case against Ozawa is scheduled for April 26.

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26 Comments
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Good luck to Ichiro Ozawa !

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

First LDP, than DPJ and wasn't he thinking of forming a new party? Is there any party this man won't join?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

"he may have to step in to unify the DPJ"

Or destroy it.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Is anyone surprised? Corruption and scandal are pretty much a prerequisite to becoming a leader in this nation. How many times has Ozawa fallen from grace and yet continues to hold a powerful position and definitely wants his ten-minute photograph as PM of the day?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

He's probably been accumulating a lot of IOUs from his contacts in the now booming Tohoku construction industry, his traditional source of (ahem) funding. Without money, none of these politicians can do anything. He can't even remember when 400,000,000 Yen of his money was transferred, chump change to him, so you can imagine the sums involved.,

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So I take it he has been told " Yeah, go ahead and run. You are NOT going to prison"

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Noda won't last until September: he will have called, and lost, an election by then. The people will have voted in the LDP and the DPJ will split in two with one part, led by Noda, joining the LDP and the remainder, led by Ozawa, banished to irrelevance.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I hope the fat man wins and stops this consumption tax hike. Do a Vat

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Can he do that from prison?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And when he doesn't win, he'll start yet another party. Whatever. Different party, same crap.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

tmarie: "And when he doesn't win, he'll start yet another party."

Actually, he'll THREATEN to pull out and start another party, but after five or so promises to do so and not having done yet I wonder.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

retire already

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ozawa knows how to win elections. Kan doesn't, Hatoyama doesn't, Okada doesn't and I'm pretty sure Noda doesn't either.

He is going to be acquitted of the false politically motivated charges against him this week, and if he then wants to go back to restoring public trust in the DPJ that Kan and Noda discarded, then good on him.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I thought he already created a new party.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So who's going to vote for a known criminal?

Nobody. That's the problem.

He'll just appoint himself without any opposition from the J-public.

And what system allows an individual with his history and background to run in the first place!? Last time I looked this was the 21st century and not the 18th.

Democracy indeed.

S

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I am very concerned that OZAWA will sell Japan to China as he has been pushing an idea of "One Asia" concept for a long time..We should not make a mistake like EU. It will never work.

I am not yet very clear about his ideology to comment on his political move at this time.

1)Why did he take 100 or more his collegues over to China years ago? What does he try to do with China. 2).What does he wants to do with the Japan/US Peace Treaty? Sounds like he has been trying to change the Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution to Military.

3))Remember he is the one who introduced a bill-"Zaininichi Senkkyo Ken" voting rights for non Japanese citizens. In US, you have to become Americans if you are willing to vote in US politics. I have no problem allowing Zainichi who became Japanese citizens to vote. They are legally Japanese. According to Ozawa, zainichi can remain non Japanese and they can vote. I strongly against it.

He has to make all these issues very clearly to all Japanese citizens before considering to run..

Sydney, Australia is filled with Chinese now as well as US, and they have a strong influence in their political arenas. Are you guys willing to let him do that? Let us hear what he wants to do for Japan and Japanese first. To me, he has been seen as a power hungry politician with self interests only as he visited only ONCE to Iwate to comfort the earthquake victims where he was elected while US Ambassador in Japan has been giving up his own private time to help them.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

hope the fat man wins and stops this consumption tax hike. Do a Vat

@JapanGalApr. 22, 2012 - 05:15PM JST

Japan is broke, JapanGal. What are your solutions? I would be surprised if Japan can sustain another 4 more years.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@HaoabGal

I have great solutions for you if you are against it.

1)Let's work on public spending cut.

2)Let's make sure BOJ starts printing more yen to make yen worthless papers.

3)Let's make sure the banks will be closed without any government notice in advance.

4)Let's make sure you will have a yen denominatin or a new Yen to make your savings worthless.

How does it dounds to you? No more tax hike as you wish, JapanGal.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Ozawa knows how to win elections. Kan doesn't, Hatoyama doesn't, Okada doesn't and I'm pretty sure Noda doesn't either.

But yet, he doesn't know how to wait his turn in line and play nicely with those who decide whose turn it is next.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Ozawa knows how to win elections.

@tmarie, I wonder if Japanese have already forgotten how Ozawa got into the trouble.

Thank god, Japan has been running okay as ordinary Japanese citizens are pretty smart while these political jokers have been messing around. Thanks to Japanese citizens with damn good common senses. They are the ones who are keeping Japan going forward, not politicians. i sure give all Japanese citizens a BIG CREDIT!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Um, that wasn't me that said that Ozawa knows how to win....

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

You can hate the guy but as was pointed out above he is a good strategist who knows how to win election.

@marcelito, I will do everything to stop Ozawa from running. When he was in the States many years ago, I had a chance to meet him, but refused to do so as foundamentally he and I disagree in many issues for Japan. I will leave it as that. marceito, you need to make sure what he is stand for Japan before voting for him. . He seldom speaks out his mind what he stands for.

I would like to listen what he thinks about these issues listed below:

1)The Japan/US Peace Treaty. Is he willing to abolish that? What is he going to do with Okinawa?

2)Is he willing to change the constitution of Japan article 9 from JDF to Military?

3)Is he still trying to join the UN Security Concil seat?

4)Japanese Tax and Nenkin reforms?

5)Zainichi Senkkyo Ken issue? Is he willing to give a right to vote for non Japanese citizen living in Japan?

6)Does he believe in Demand Economy or Supply side Economy? Pro consumer or pro business.

7)What does he want to do with nuclear energy in Japan?

8)What does he want to do for restration of Tohoku?

9)Is he for TPP?

10)I would like to know a name of chief defense lawyer for his own case.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

God help us

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So who's going to vote for a known criminal?

Nobody. That's the problem.

That's where you are wrong. If he is convicted he'll get a slap on the wrists. Next all he has to do is be reelected in his home district and there Ozawa already is king. He'll get reelected easily and the IOU's he has amongst his party's members would be more than enough to get him elected as leader.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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