In an editorial on Monday, Taiwan's China Post described Yasuo Fukuda, the front-runner in the upcoming Japanese election for prime minister. While the Post's editors didn't directly endorse Fukuda, one can assume his policies would meet with their approval:
Fukuda, 71, an advocate of a less U.S.-centric foreign policy, stressed he would not visit Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, seen by many Asian countries as a symbol of Japan's past militarism. He is also critical of Abe's proposal for a "broader Asia" partnership of countries that would include India, the U.S. and Australia - but not China.
From the point of view of a Chinese nationalist, any Japanese P.M. who'd give China more of a free hand by weakening Asian alliances is a P.M. "devoutly to be wish'd."
Meanwhile, the Taipei Times came out in favor of Fukuda's rival, Taro Aso:
There are already too many leaders who are willing to cozy up to Beijing -- and what good has that done Taiwan or Tibet, or the countless Chinese locked up in jail for seeking human rights?
Aso, perhaps, isn't such a leader, and therein lies a tremendous opportunity for Taiwan.
The reason for the Times' optimism has something to do with a statement he made in 2006:
Taiwan's "democracy is considerably matured and liberal economics is deeply ingrained, so it is a law-abiding country," then Japanese foreign minister Taro Aso said in March last year, adding that "in various ways, it is a country that shares a sense of values with Japan."
Aso said Taiwan is a law-abiding COUNTRY? Not too hard to see why supporters of Taiwanese independence would like him. Not coincidentally, today's Taipei Times and Taiwan News both featured stories portraying Aso as a sort of political version of Hiro Nakamura from the TV series Heroes:
An avowed booster of "manga" comic books and animation known as "anime," Aso has won the support of fans - called "otaku," or nerds - for his promise to promote Japanese pop art overseas.
"Aso is a true nerd. He should be prime minister!" said Asami Suzuki, a 20-year-old college student shopping for comics in Akihabara.
"He understands that manga and anime are so important to Japan's image," Suzuki said.
(Hiro Nakamura: "I can bend the space-time continuum. Just like Mr. Spock!")
(Hiro Nakamura image from Vividrealism.com)
Unfortunately, the truth is that Aso's not quite as lovable as Hiro:
While Aso was the presumed successor until quite recently, he is widely disliked by powerful figures in the LDP and is prone to gaffes. (Referring to a fellow Diet member, descended from members of Japan’s once-untouchable caste: “That burakumin can’t be Prime Minister,” which would be kind of like a GOP presidential candidate in the US replying, “That [N-word] can’t be President,” when asked about Barack Obama. Referring to the Korean slaves who worked for his father prior to and during World War II being forced to adopt Japanese names: “Most Koreans wanted Japanese names anyway.”)
So, one more time. Who do you like in the Japanese election? The polite guy who'll be no friend to Taiwan, or the politically-incorrect jerk who will?
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