LDP: Party from Hell

[Brad Mayer]

Yes, the nihonno nyusu I get every morning via the local cable 
international channel basically treats Japanese politics and the LDP 
government in particular as a laughing stock.  The TV newscasters can 
barely conceal their bemusement.  One newscaster could only comment that 
Mori-san "was wearing his _second-most_ favorite necktie" - apparently they 
keep a catalogue of Mori's ties as  some sort of signal of his current 
mood, disposition, etc.  The news commentator wondered, to head shaking 
grins, "Why they didn't nominate a candidate to succeed Mori, as long as 
they were going to have a party convention?"  Yes, indeed.

-Brad Mayer

At 11:41 PM 3/13/01 -0500, you wrote:
>Date: Tue, 13 Mar 2001 20:44:10 -0800
>From: "Lisa & Ian Murray" <seamus at accessone.com>
>Subject: Vertigo Japanese style
>
><http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,451375,00.html>
>Identity crisis has Japan in turmoil
>
>Crisis of faith in party, state and finances rocks country
>
>Special report: Japan
>
>Jonathan Watts in Tokyo
>Wednesday March 14, 2001
>The Guardian