On the last day of 2008, Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa showed up at an event held in Tokyo's Akihabara district — home to Prime Minister Taro Aso's "otaku" geeks fan base — apparently to steal some of Aso's thunder.
Ozawa appeared on a live Internet talk show that 10,000 people could simultaneously watch on the Nico Nico Douga Web site, run by Niwango Inc.
The move came as Ozawa's support rate in favor of him becoming the next prime minister is on the rise, surpassing that of Aso. According to a recent poll by the daily Nihon Keizai Shimbun, 17 percent chose Ozawa as best-suited to be the prime minister; only 7 percent picked Aso.