Comments on: Junichiro Koizumi tops list of most suitable PMs

By: Edward (not the vampire. or the alchemist. or the American Senator)

Edward (not the vampire. or the alchemist. or the American Senator) — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 23:46:26 +0000

During his tenure, Koizumi acted to reduce public debt and to privatize a segment of the national government, and met lasting success on both counts. He did not try to do everything for everyone, but picked a spare few things to focus his attention on–a “slow and steady” approach missing in American politics. Were he to run for an American office under the same platform, I admit I would vote for him.

That man also has a very large right arm.

By: Roger

Roger — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 15:13:15 +0000

Koizumi had good charisma but he was Bush’s puppet and that is embarrasing!

By: Mundo H ~ ¡La primera web hispana de noticias y reseñas hentai!

Mundo H ~ ¡La primera web hispana de noticias y reseñas hentai! — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 18:42:26 +0000

[...] Japan Probe, AFP, Yomiuri Shimbun y Tokyo [...]

By: Mister M

Mister M — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:23:24 +0000

Visiting Yasukuni Shrine is a good thing to start a fire in the air. Chinese and Koreans shoud learn to look forward and unite against the financial crise.

By: Chad

Chad — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 22:48:29 +0000

Koizumi did do great things. He began to shift the balance of power away from the bureaucrats to politicians. One example, he privatized the postal system to get the money out of the bureaucrats hands and weaken the iron triangle that existed. He was more than a cult of personality and was one of Japan’s true reformers. Aside from perhaps Yoshida Shigeru, he is one of the most powerful PMs in Japanese history.

By: Tidasquall

Tidasquall — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 21:21:59 +0000

Sure Koizumi had charisma but apart from that he didn’t exactly do anything spectacularly great for Japan… as far as I know anyway, I’ve only just briefly studied Japanese politics but from what I have learned so far I haven’t come across anyone in the LDP which I would consider as a good leader. But in fairness, compared with the other PMs of recent years Koizumi appeared to be a better leader but I don’t think he deserves as much credit as many people may give him.

By: Montsan

Montsan — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 20:19:46 +0000

True, Japan’s recent spat of Prime Ministers is unremarkable but that doesn’t necessarily mean Koizumi should be seen as the best possible alternative.

By: Clement

Clement — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:36:56 +0000

They should just let him enjoy his retirement peacefully. He did his part. Now its time for others to do their own.I am sure they can find someone like Koizumi or even better among the current politicians.

By: ダビ

ダビ — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:19:24 +0000

Someone _like_ Koizumi – yes. Koizumi himself – no.

It would be too depressing to be forced to admit there is not a single other Japanese politician of his calibre. Didn’t he have “disciples”? Where are they??