Before Yoshihiko Noda took over as Diet affairs chief of the Democratic Party of Japan in December, his early morning weekday schedule was set in stone.
For 17 years, the Chiba-based lawmaker delivered marathon speeches at town squares in front of local railway stations.
A stout and modest man, Noda's behavior in social settings was usually characterized by a certain diffidence.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.