Reuters - September 13, 2010
Reuters
Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and powerbroker Ichiro Ozawa were making their final efforts on Monday to woo undecided lawmakers one day before a cliff-hanger ruling party leadership vote that could reset fiscal priorities. Ozawa is unpopular with most voters, who are put off by his image as an old-school wheeler-dealer. Admirers say his leadership and skills honed in a four-decade career are just what Japan needs, while critics question whether his policies would help the nation escape decades of stagnation. "Ozawa is too much of a poster boy for everything that is wrong with 20th century Japanese politics," said Jeffrey Kingston, director of Asian studies at Temple University, Japan Campus. "He represents politics as usual."