Golden Pavillion
President Bush is in Kyoto and met with Prime Minister Koizumi today. The Nikkei reports on Xinhua’s reaction:
On 16 November, the PRC state news agency Xinhua reported of Prime Minister Koizumi and US President Bush’s meeting that “they emphasized the importance of the Japan-US alliance” and displayed alarm as it related such items as Koizumi’s mention of the importance of US military personnel stationed in Japan.
The Asahi has a more wide-ranging rundown, including this related point:
The Japanese prime minister also brushed aside criticism that he has focused too heavily on U.S. relations while ignoring ties with Japan’s Asian neighbors.
“There are some people who believe that Japan should not pursue its relations with the United States too far, and if that creates some negative elements, then Japan should strengthen friendly ties with other countries.
“But that is not my thinking.”
Bush also had a message for China, saying leaders should not be afraid to give freedom to their society.
The U.S. president went on to say that the Liberal Democratic Party’s landslide victory in the Sept. 11 Lower House election underscores the strength of democracy in Japan.
Koizumi and Bush confirmed that their countries will work in close cooperation so that China becomes a constructive partner.
The evening edition of the Nikkei has a picture of the two at Kinkakuji, which unfortunately doesn’t appear to be on-line. This is the only one I can find posted.
Saw a Zengakuren protest today in Kyoto. Looked pretty tired and pathetic. The people protesting American beef had more energy.
Man, we were walking back from Atsushi’s visiting his grandfather’s grave a few months ago when we saw a group of protesters–I think they were your sort of all-encompassing anti-globalization/anti-war types–coming down Aoyama-dori. It was right in front of Bell Commons, with all the hoity-toity boutiques and stuff. The protesters were pathetically listless; the cops escorting them looked ready to fall asleep standing up; and, of course, the bourgeois strolling around had to be about the most unreceptive audience imaginable. The Japanese, unlike their neighbors, do not do demonstrations well.