Junichiro Koizumi rocks up to unveiling of Elvis statue in Kobe
Entertainment ( 19 )
KOBE —
Former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, 67, attended a ceremony in Kobe Harborland on Sunday held to unveil the Elvis Presley statue that sat outside the Love Me Tender store in Tokyo’s Harajuku since 1987, but was removed in January this year following the closure of the store.
Koizumi joined the crowd of about 1,000 Elvis Presley fans who braved the rain for the unveiling of the statue, which was originally paid for by the former prime minister along with contributions from several hundred other fans. Koizumi said that his love for Elvis was handy in diplomatic relations at times, and in the end seemingly outshone the statue amid the cries of “Jun-chan” that came from the crowd.
Kobe, known as the birthplace of jazz in Japan, was chosen as the new location for the statue after locals campaigned to have it brought to the port city. Harajuku was chosen for the first site in 1987 – 10 years after The King’s passing.
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19 Comments
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tokyotom
he should become prime minister again, what a waste of his talents
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sidjtd
I agree. Aside from his "image" by the South Koreans and Chinese (Yasukuni...) he literally had no problems as a Prime Minister. I understand Korea and China can get worried, but they use history as a political weapon as well. It is shameful.
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WMD
He was a prime minister that actually had a personality. Whilst they are usually just wooden robots.
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tigris
Don't understand the love affair with Koizumi on these pages. People are so easily manipulated by style. that guy is responsible for the fingerprinting on entering Japan and laid the foundation to the new immigration law. He's an Ishihara in sheep skin.
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sfjp330
In 2006, when Koizumi visited the U.S., Pres. Bush and Prisilla Presley invited him to Graceland. Home of Elvis. He must had fond memories.
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Angelo
Look where we are. This guy took to new levels of making Japan one of the poorest country. Yes that's right. Look how the quality of life of the average Japanese has turned out to be by business only friendly policies.
Anyone wants Koizumi back, wants a further deteoriation of life style.
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bdaniel08
You are right "tigris" !
This Koizumi had a big personnality but he was an extrem rightist hawk and so a big friend of Bush...there is no need to tell more than that !
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Farmboy
These days, if a politician has intelligence and style, I appreciate it, even if I don't agree with policy, and hey, Koizumi likes Elvis. He can't be all bad.
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Noripinhead
"Kobe, known as the birthplace of jazz in Japan." I love it. I wonder what the birthplace of jazz in Russia is.
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LoveUSA
Still handsome at 67! However Hashimoto sori looks more like Elvis Presley so he shold have been at the event.
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spudman
Koizumi is great due to his lack of blunders, that's a pretty low bar. Good riddance to the LDP I say.
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dr_jones
"he should become prime minister again, what a waste of his talents".
Really? You want such a right-wing to become PM again?
The Statue looks like it's not in scale, too small I would say. Maybe it's the Japanese Elvis?
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Farmboy
Well, since you ask, jazz has a rather long history in Russia. http://www.russia-ic.com/culture_art/music/720/
Jazz is still very popular in Japan.
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Apsara
He looked more like Elvis perhaps. Hard for him to attend when he died 3 years ago though.
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WMD
That's no problem, most politicians are dead anyway. Brain dead.
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Badsey
Koizumi needs to look after his hair better -that's his trademark, but his generosity to his public never surprises me. Politicians need to get on the walk more and listen to the public.
Koizumi retired at the right time -Who wants to be in politics now -such bitterness.
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bamboohat
homeboy ain't got nothin on ol tricky dick:
http://www.whitehousemuseum.org/west-wing/oval-office/oval-office-nixon-and-elvis.jpg
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presto345
Koizumi looks electrified. Elvis's guitar?
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The758
Most young Japanese don't even know who Elvis was. Heathens.
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