October 15, 2004
Koizumi Administration Not Playing Coy On Picks in Nov.
First the Prime Minister and now the Secretary General of the ruling party. Both Koizumi and Takabe have recently been rather vocal and unambiguous in their hopes for the outcome of the November U.S. presidential elections.
According to Nikkei Net, on the afternoon of the 15th, the LDP Sec. Gen. said while on a radio program that, come November, “if it isn’t President Bush, there will be trouble.” He then went on to criticize Kerry’s bilateral approach toward the North Korea problem, “out of the question.”
This came only a day after Prime Minister Koizumi remarked, "Because I'm friendly with President Bush, I want him to do his best." Following both men's statements, Koizumi explained on the evening of the 15th that "it's best not to meddle in the elections of another country. No matter who is president, I will continue and devleop the alliance." (Nihongo mavens can see here for the original text.)
According to Nikkei Net, on the afternoon of the 15th, the LDP Sec. Gen. said while on a radio program that, come November, “if it isn’t President Bush, there will be trouble.” He then went on to criticize Kerry’s bilateral approach toward the North Korea problem, “out of the question.”
This came only a day after Prime Minister Koizumi remarked, "Because I'm friendly with President Bush, I want him to do his best." Following both men's statements, Koizumi explained on the evening of the 15th that "it's best not to meddle in the elections of another country. No matter who is president, I will continue and devleop the alliance." (Nihongo mavens can see here for the original text.)
# posted by Saru : 3:30 PM
