The decision by Ichiro Ozawa, former Democratic Party of Japan secretary general, to run in the party's leadership race in September took people by surprise Thursday, with many criticizing his alleged political funding infraction and others expressing hope for stronger leadership.
"It's not appropriate (that Ozawa is running for the DPJ leadership) because the controversy over his funding problems isn't over yet," said Yoshiaki Seshimo, 56, of Toda, Saitama Prefecture.
On former Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama's support for Ozawa, Seshimo said: "I wonder what the two of them were thinking when they resigned together (in early June). Everything is so contradictory."