Aso relishes G-8 limelight, but harsh reality awaits him at home

By Mariko Yasumoto

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5 Comments

NuckinFutz at 07:58 AM JST - 11th July

Given that every Japanese Prime Minister for the last 3 years has been a "lame duck" with his days numbered, I'm suprised any of the other foreign leaders would even bother to give him the time of day. Why waste time when China and India have kicked Japan out of the game in Asia?
kyushujoe at 12:33 PM JST - 11th July

Why this obsession with global influence and international prestige and the rest of it? Look at Denmark: peaceful, rich and happy. Global influence: zilch. In fact if you look at the G8 nations it seems the more international clout you have (the USA, Russia, China, the UK), the more screwed up your own society is. It's not in Japan's interests to strive for membership of some mythical "powerful nations' club" any more.
smithinjapan at 02:41 PM JST - 11th July

"One bright spot for the ruling coalition is a scandal over improper political fund reporting involving DPJ President Yukio Hatoyama, which emerged last month and provided the LDP with an opportunity to attack its main rival."

Japanese politics is even worse than American politics; that's all it's about -- attack, attack, attack. At least both candidates, Obama more than McCain, offered up SOME of what they planned to accomplish rather than what their opponents had done or couldn't do (again, I say 'SOME').

It's like, rather than doing any work themselves they wait for their opponent to slip up so they can jump on that. This is particularly the case with the LDP... they have ZERO to go on.
TokyoHustla at 02:00 PM JST - 12th July

Aso in the limelight? No one in the foreign media knew his name or who he was. I even heard one newscaster say, "the asian guy" in one report.
gogogo at 02:52 PM JST - 12th July

giving up the privilege of attending a summit of the Group of Eight major powers was simply not an option

That should read "giving up the privilege of a last ditch holiday on tax payers money was simply not an option"