Date of birth: May 31, 1954

Party: Democratic Party of Japan

Electoral district: Lower House; Yamanashi No. 1 (sixth term)

Ozawa took his first Cabinet post last year as environment minister. One of his achievements was to have Hatoyama pledge that Japan reduce global warming gas emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, despite strong opposition from industry.

Ozawa has held executive positions in the DPJ, including vice secretary general and minister of economy, trade and industry in the party's unofficial "Next Cabinet."

He joined the old DPJ, precursor of the current DPJ, in 1996 after he was first elected to the Lower House on the Japan New Party ticket in 1993.

Before entering politics, he worked at the Bank of Tokyo, now part of Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, and later headed the secretariat of the LDP Diet members' policymaking group for 10 years, specializing in economic policy.