Regarding the Feb. 15 article "DPJ execs move step closer to suspending Ozawa": It is quite ridiculous that the Democratic Party of Japan leadership was only just getting around to considering the suspension of Ichiro Ozawa's party membership. Ozawa has effectively created a party within a party with his campaign donations to DPJ election candidates, and he has repeatedly defied Prime Minister Naoto Kan and DPJ Secretary General Katsuya Okada.
In the Westminster system that Ozawa has professed a wish to emulate, he would have been expelled from his party a long time ago, but perhaps Kan and Okada are scared that his loyal minions will go with him. Ozawa's supporters should be told that they can go and trigger a general election if they want. Ozawa may not be able to keep their campaigns financially afloat anymore, and they may get a very nasty surprise if they think loyalty to their benefactor will win them lots of votes.
It's time that Ozawa's DPJ supporters got their heads out of the sand, and that the prime minister developed a backbone and kicked Ozawa out of the party.