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!)

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