Koizumi to visit "shrine"
Pop Quiz: Which shrine visit this month will not harm Japan's relations with China and Korea? Answer: See below!
Source: British newspaper The Times Online in an article that includes a good analysis of Koizumi's term as Japan's Prime Minister:
GOOD STATESMAN
US relations: Japan has never been closer to, or more trusted by, the country that it relies on for its defence
US troops go home: After long negotiations, 8,000 US Marines are to be removed from the island of Okinawa
Military revival: After decades constrained by the "peace constitution", Japanese troops are taking part in overseas operations
Charisma: He is the first Japanese prime minister whose name people can remember
POOR STATESMAN
Neighbours: No postwar prime minister has been more hated or shunned by China and South Korea over the Yasukuni Shrine visits
UN: Attempts to gain a permanent seat on the Security Council have been rebuffed by the US
North Korea: Japan’s insistence on the return of its abducted citizens has prevented the normalisation of diplomatic relations
Stubbornness: Mistrust caused by shrine visits will take a long time to overcome
(Great photoshop view of the Graceland "shrine" from Elvis.com - actually the rock star's house looks more like the photo below!)
Source: British newspaper The Times Online in an article that includes a good analysis of Koizumi's term as Japan's Prime Minister:
GOOD STATESMAN
US relations: Japan has never been closer to, or more trusted by, the country that it relies on for its defence
US troops go home: After long negotiations, 8,000 US Marines are to be removed from the island of Okinawa
Military revival: After decades constrained by the "peace constitution", Japanese troops are taking part in overseas operations
Charisma: He is the first Japanese prime minister whose name people can remember
POOR STATESMAN
Neighbours: No postwar prime minister has been more hated or shunned by China and South Korea over the Yasukuni Shrine visits
UN: Attempts to gain a permanent seat on the Security Council have been rebuffed by the US
North Korea: Japan’s insistence on the return of its abducted citizens has prevented the normalisation of diplomatic relations
Stubbornness: Mistrust caused by shrine visits will take a long time to overcome
(Great photoshop view of the Graceland "shrine" from Elvis.com - actually the rock star's house looks more like the photo below!)
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