Obama, Aso's 1st meeting draws mixed reviews in Japan

Wednesday 25th February, 01:34 PM JST

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xpompey8 at 05:18 PM JST - 25th February

So what's next on his intinerary? Disneyland, Las Vegas, Miami perhaps?
GW at 05:26 PM JST - 25th February

‘‘We know now that President Obama is amply aware’’ of the need to resolve major issues, such as North Korea’s nuclear ambitions and its abductions of Japanese national

correction, one major & one minor issue, sorry just saying.....
GW at 05:29 PM JST - 25th February

Aso was the first state leader to meet the 44th U.S. president at the White House

ha ha, notice how they had to add, ....at the White House, in order to make it a first, how juvenile, but the J-pop will eat it up & not notice how that "" 1st "" was achieved, there never even a hope of any substance & its highly likely this is the last time these 2 will ever cross paths again.
okapake at 06:15 PM JST - 25th February

Obama is from Hawa'i. Obviously he can use chopsticks! Using hashi is not a Japanese thing. There's over a billion in China who also use them.
magpie at 06:16 PM JST - 25th February

Guys for all teh compalining we have here about Aso, anybody care to suggest an alternative PM as the solution?
GW at 06:35 PM JST - 25th February

I think a good sized Daruma wud be good or how about a large paper crane for a change
TokyoVP at 06:43 PM JST - 25th February

Aso's secret gift to Obama (but not reported on by Kyodo, NHK or JT):

Obama: Why, Taro, what have you got in that bag??

Aso: Nantoka...I heard that the American golden goose that laid golden eggs has died!

Obama: Huh?!

Aso: Japan must export, so I have brought a gift!

Bag: Quack, Quack!!
tclh at 07:53 PM JST - 25th February

One country will protect its farm sector at all cost, other country will work on bringing back manufacturing jobs to its own soil , but both promise to fight protectionism. Heh heh, protect 100% but now and then "open" a tiny hole to relieve a little bit of pressure and call that fighting protectionism...
BrightEyes at 10:34 PM JST - 25th February

It's interesting that when the two leaders promised to strengthen the bilateral alliance, Tokyo stocks fell sharply even briefly dropping below a 26-year closing low. A strong partnership between the two countries seems only to help pessimism mount. Market is honest.

Yes, and the market closed high after Japan received the Potsdam Proclamation in World War II.

The market may be honest, but it isn't very smart.
onewrldoneppl at 11:33 PM JST - 25th February

1 owner of U.S. treasury bills: China

2 owner of U.S. treasury bills: Japan

i'm sure mr. aso's words did not fall on deaf ears. again, his only problem is that he is, as someone previously noted, a lame-duck prime minister. japan remains relevant, mr. aso ... only time will tell. he must feel a bit like caesar right now. beware the ides of march wink
kaminarihito at 11:38 PM JST - 25th February

Given that I cannot find even a one-paragraph report of this meeting in the NY Times, Fox News, or CNN, I'd say Ozawa's take on the significance of this meeting is closer to the mark than LDP's Hosoda. If a meeting between leaders takes place, and no one reports it (except Kyodo), has it really taken place?
aelieth at 02:26 AM JST - 26th February

I'm glad they met, even if Aso may not be in office much longer. It shows that the US and Japan are going to work together. I suspect the next Japanese PM will also go to the US, if not Obama actually going to Japan, as it will be part of an on-going process.

There's a lot to do and this just shows that there is a recognition that ties need and will improve.
sydenham at 06:52 AM JST - 26th February

Magpie, you mean realistically? Sadly, I think the best choices are the least likely to be chosen. The Jiminto parliament, sorry, the Japanese parliament, has been best described as karaoke democracy. Everybody and their dog gets a chance to sing. I forgot whose dog Aso was, but anyway, he's proof. woof!

NEXT!
greenman99 at 11:20 PM JST - 26th February

I hope they address some of issues Obama put forward in his speech to Congress!. His stance on green energy was impressive and Japan needs to get behind his ideas. I believe we need real break through ideas when it comes to alternative energy. I just read an article about creating star power here on earth. Plus I recently discovered a company called Energetics Technologies. They have a process called SuperWaveFusion, which could be a possible breakthrough in cold fusion. I also read that 2 independent labs have replicated this process, this is the type of new thinking we need!
Seiharinokaze at 04:53 PM JST - 27th February

Yes, and the market closed high after Japan received the Potsdam Proclamation in World War II.

As long as Japan helps maintain the sustainability of the US dollar as a global key currency and finance Obama's multi-trillion-dollar spending plan, the market will tend to drop on an open-ended downfall. The fallacy of the post Bretton Woods system is being in the air worldwide; Japan and the world begin to see that they just go on sillily paying by themselves what is due to them. We are trying to sustain something palpably unsustainable. Might not the market possibly close high after the U.S. receives some day the Shanghai Proclamation or something that will demand for the termination of dollar hegemony?