Japan to Koizumi: "Step Off"

So as I creep
Can you peep
What I speak
Techniques unique
So what you sayin is obsolete
--Warren G

Many nations have a problem with leaders that continually embarrass their people: Canada had Chretien, Italy has Berlusconi, Zimbabwe has Mugabe, South Africa has Mbeki...and Japan?....Japan has Koizumi. For the most part, the Japanese have been less than impressed with him, partly because he raised expectations of reform which were largely dashed....although it appears his Postal Reform bill will pass...

The Japanese, however, seem to have had enough with his closet militarism that sees Junichiro rolling into Yasukuni Shrine to honour the war dead.....Probably the stupidest PR move for a Japanese PM. Is the militant right so powerful in Japan that you need to risk pissing off every neighbour you have to steal their votes?

Nope.

Anyways, mainstream Japan is coming around to the fact that maybe being unpopular and disarmed in a dangerous neighbourhood is dumb:

On Apr. 19, Koizumi defended his visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, saying, "Each country has its own history, tradition and different views. I go there to pledge not to fight a war again and offer my condolences to the war dead."

Polling Data

Do you think Junichiro Koizumi should stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine?

Yes	48%
No	36%

Source: Asahi Shimbun
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 808 Japanese adults, conducted on Apr. 24, 2005. No margin of error was provided.