Ozawa only winner in single-seat districts among DPJ defectors

Ichiro Ozawa, former leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, which suffered a heavy electoral defeat Sunday, became the only candidate to win a seat in a single-seat district among 71 DPJ defectors who ran in the general election.

Ozawa, now a member of the newly formed opposition Tomorrow Party of Japan, secured a seat in the Iwate No. 4 constituency, but the 70 other candidates who had bolted from the DPJ since the previous House of Representatives election in 2009 all failed to do so in their election districts.

The DPJ defectors who failed in their reelection bids included former farm minister Masahiko Yamada and former consumer affairs minister Kenji Yamaoka.