Prime Minister Koizumi of Japan has been among the most loyal supporters of the United States' foreign policy. Breaking a postwar taboo, Japan sent troops to Iraq, albeit for noncombat operations. Japan's military forces are closely integrated with America's in northeast Asia. The two countries are cooperating to an unprecedented degree, and the relationsip has never been closer.

Now, PM Koizumi is receiving criticism in Japan for openly supporting the re—election of President Bush. Yesterday he said,

"I don't want to interfere in a foreign country's election. But I am familiar with President Bush and want him to carry on."

Needless to say, the American press has been entirely uninterested in this news. But now that the PM is coming in for criticism, perhaps they will pay some attention.

The primary basis of the criticism is that a head of government should not interfere with an election in a foreign country. Fair enough. But it is also clear that when John F. Kerry contends that America is "isolated" by Bush's policies, he is dissing not only the U.K., but also Japan. Arguably, these two nations are the most important overseas relationships America has, at least as measured by trade and invcestment flows.

Thomas Lifson  10 15 04