Koizumi to retire from politics

Friday 26th September, 05:16 AM JST

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Scrote at 10:47 AM JST - 26th September

So Koizumi hopes that Japanese voters will elect his son does he?

Maybe his third son, whom Koizumi has never met (and refuses to meet - what a great father), should also run on the same ballot. That would be interesting.

Koizumi: "Vote for Shinjiro, because he's my son" Voter: "Yoshinaga is also your son, why shouldn't we vote for him" Koizumi: "Erm"
Altria at 10:57 AM JST - 26th September

Vote for Kotaro, since he's a talento AND the son of a famous politician.

He can't lose.
timorborder at 11:36 AM JST - 26th September

Bit disappointing this, Koizumi was the only PM in recent memory who actually did something (and made a host of enemies as a result). Would have liked to have seen him stick around and become PM again after the next election. Dont see much hope for Japan's future in the remaining talent pool. The country has just been shafted and now has an elitist bore as PM. Other alternatives seem to be few and far between...
OssanULTRA at 11:57 AM JST - 26th September

Japan could use more PMs like Koizumi.
Thenewfront at 12:01 PM JST - 26th September

Japan needs less right wing extremists like Koizumi.
Noripinhead at 01:35 PM JST - 26th September

Koizumi will be remembered like Ronald Reagan--much better than he actually was during his years in office. People already have forgotten the real reason he went to North Korea to meet Kim Jong Il and bring back Jenkins and company: to deflect attention from his domestic problems. He was a true political show man. Just like Reagan.
irabujapanu at 01:35 PM JST - 26th September

May be Koizumi want to pre-empt any demand to become a PM again and decided to stay away frm the political mess
unscrejects at 03:09 PM JST - 26th September

Time to take him to the Hague for his crimes against Zimbabwean people.
dennis0bauer at 03:13 PM JST - 26th September

Noo! Koizumi! maybe now he will become a tv-personality?
ThuleSociety at 03:18 PM JST - 26th September

I agree with Mr Bauer he may become a tv personality, then again i usually agree with Dutch people.
badge123 at 03:59 PM JST - 26th September

Heck, I honestly didn't know he was "still in" politics. Thought it was all over after he left as Prime Minister.
apecNetworks at 06:12 PM JST - 26th September

Former PM Koizumi will always be memorable, b/c I was being fed very high quality info during his tenure as PM. US Agency personnel were giving info on what was being planned in Japan to convey to me how much control they had. It was a sobering period for me.
cracaphat at 01:40 AM JST - 27th September

He had the clout to raise the consumption tax which is sorely needed,but he wimped out to stay popular. His legacy is that of a showman,which is unJapanese for a pol and privatizing something that no-one cares about. He didn't do any real groundbreaking reforms.
teaabe at 05:23 AM JST - 27th September

it's good the U.S. kiss arser is retiring. he was a pure slave to them.
pathat at 02:22 PM JST - 27th September

Ossan wrote:

"Japan could use more PMs like Koizumi."

Considering what has happened the past two years under Abe and Fukuda, the current uninspiring choice of Aso as prime minister to "lead" the nation for what should be another short tenure, you are very probably right about Koizumi.