Senior LDP lawmaker voices concern over Obama's safety

Thursday 06th November, 06:04 AM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 61 Total Comments Show All

zurcronium at 04:14 PM JST - 6th November

Is there some law that every LDP official has to say something incredibly stupid at least once a week?

Hopefully the J voters will take courage from this last US election and put the LDP nutties out to pasture. The LDP is more corrupt that the US republican party, and that is no easy task.
Statistician at 04:30 PM JST - 6th November

Why do you keep on referring to Diet members as 'lawmakers' as if they did nothing else? Like for example representing their constituents, challenging the executive on decisions and um ... getting their snouts in the trough generally. Law making is often the least of their responsibilities. Why not just say "Diet Member"
Nessie at 04:45 PM JST - 6th November

Does he know something we don't?

Yes, he knows the US is biorensu kantori where every Amercan is killed several times per day -- and even more on weekends.
elbudamexicano at 06:13 PM JST - 6th November

What this high level LDP lawmaker, Sasagawa-san says is very, very true! How many white, neo nazi fools with and AK-47 etc...does it take to kill 1 skinny, tall big, eared Obama? America is still a divided country and many racists still do exist, just look up any WHITE SUPREMACY homepage, and the US is not the only country with these fools. So, I do hope Obama does have extra security for himself and his family. Not talking about this will go away? I don't think so. That is the same as saying not talking about drugs,gun violence, terrorism will just make those things go away?
Molenir at 06:29 PM JST - 6th November

Whole topic is idiotic. Like someone else said. There hasn't been a president, some lunatic didn't want to kill. Bush had a live grenade thrown at him. Clinton had nutcases, Saddam wanted to assasinate Bush 1, and of course Reagan. Theres always nutcases out there. Pointing out white extremists and saying ooh, the black man better watch out, gonna be a lynchin tonight, is just stupid. Personally, I despise the guy, but certainly wouldn't want him murdered.

Really, don't worry. The secret service will do their job.
Freakenese at 07:09 PM JST - 6th November

Presidents and Political Leaders have always been threatened by some form of extremist. Whether its the Right wing, Left wing, or Wing Nut (the guy wear Aluminum Foil Antennas and says aliens told him to shoot the President.).

Just a dumb thing for him to bring up. I asked my wife (Japanese) why he would bring this up, and she says "He's just stupid.". I often ask my wife about some of the stupid comments Japanese Politicians make, hoping for some insight into Japanese thinking, her most common response is as above. Then she talks about inbreeding in political family's and inherited political positions.
burikko at 10:37 PM JST - 6th November

I think Mr Sasagawa has genuine concern for Obama safety :

Why Sasagawa was anxious about Obama? I think Sasagawa has no serious interest in anything but money and election. He had spoken it just out of curiosity.
teaabe at 04:33 AM JST - 7th November

sasagawa is spot on when it comes to obama's safety. there is a real danger, twice as severe as jfk's, that there will be attempts, unfortunately...
donkusai at 05:35 AM JST - 7th November

It's a stupid comment in so far as there really is an equal risk to Obama as presidential candidate and as president. Also, there really is no need for Sasagawa to make a public comment on this. That aside, anyone who doesn't think there is a risk for Obama is off living with the fairies. There have already been two incidents where people have thought they could solve the "black man in the white house" dilemma (as if it were actually a problem, which of course it isn't). Perhaps both were only talk, but there are enough looneys out there high on their own beliefs that there is a substantial risk there.
burikko at 10:22 AM JST - 7th November

I can't comment security and risk of Obama because I don't know the circumstance in U.S.. But I can comment the prejudices of members of LDP.

They had been talking about stereotype image of race and gender, sometimes it was joke: For example, Yasuhiro Nakasone, Michio Watanabe. And most recent comment about gender had been spoken by Takashi Sasagawa. He said that the gender of the Speaker of lower house was the reason of the rejection of "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008", at the 30th September.
lazarus0202 at 02:15 PM JST - 7th November

I would be scared if I were mayor of a city with active yakuza, like Nagasaki.
Blue_Tiger at 11:08 PM JST - 8th November

Note to Senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takashi Sasagawa:

The 1960s are over with!!! Anyone who would even attempt to do such a thing would be incredibly stupid!!!
ptolemy at 06:33 PM JST - 9th November

What is in the LDP watercooler, they seem to corner the market on gaffes. Perhaps its just the party?

Don't worry Mr. Sasagawa, the Secret Service is well prepared without your help and assistance. You can go back to your coloring book now and let the big boys take care of things.
Zolt at 04:30 PM JST - 10th November

Lazarus: Every big city in japan has active yakuza, Nagasaki's are just a bit more high profile. Interestingly, this Sasagawa guy's family has more than a few ties to them. Search the book "Yakuza" by David E. Kaplan, readable on Google Books. Sasakawa Ryoichi, Takashi's father, is mentioned quite a few times.

I'd say it's not just a gaffe. At's best it's an informed gaffe, at worse it's a threat.
notimpressed at 06:06 PM JST - 11th November

Seeing as who the comment came from , it comes of as somewhat of a sneer. He is probably quite aware that it was an inane and obvious comment to make, but one that would boggle foreigners minds, and stir sensationalist gossip in the Japanese media and therefor the Japanese public. A patronising and intentional gaffe.