Leaders of all the political parties vying for a seat in the April 23 House of Representatives by-election in the Chiba No. 7 district hit the stump Saturday.
Ichiro Ozawa, president of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan, spoke before some 200 people in Noda, Chiba Prefecture.
"It's only one seat that is up for grabs in the by-election, but that seat will determine Japanese politics and the current of politics in the future. This is the election to determine the course of Japan," Ozawa said.