Another perspective on Ozawa's rationale

Somewhere I read that Ozawa just might have decided to run against Kan because Kan had damaged the party with his curious idea to suggest a doubling of the consumption tax which cost the DPJ the July election. A possibility, but one which would not explain why Ozawa would risk doing even more damage to the party.

There's a more interesting explanation of Kan (and Hatoyama's) possible motives at Dispatch Japan.

Despite his flaws, Ozawa hardly resembles the money-hungry, power-grabbing, political opportunist he is so often made out to be. In person he is charming, genuinely warm, and very loyal to friends. Quaint or not, he lives by the samurai ethic of service to the nation while expecting from those he deals with the respect accorded a person of influence and power...

...Far from a political opportunist, Ozawa has been unusually consistent with his policy prescriptions...Dispatch Japan, Peter Ennis

Ennis explains Loopy Hatoyama's flip-flop as due to Kan's refusal to allow Ozawa more influence in the party, although Hatoyama will still try to work out a deal between the two.

And Ozawa is still not anti-American. Don't have any info about his feelings for the British...