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Thursday October 18, 2:37 PMJapan needs Koizumi-style leadership: Powell says(Kyodo) _ Japan needs strong, decisive leadership based on convictions, such as former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi demonstrated during his five and a half years in office, former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said Thursday."What impressed me about Prime Minister Koizumi, and this is what I hope the Japanese people are now looking for, is you have a man of strong views, who was willing to face the Diet and insist on changes...and see if changes could not be made," Powell said in a lecture at Tokyo's Waseda University. Powell's remark came as Japan faces the challenges of a new leadership under Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda after the recent political upheaval caused by the sudden resignation of Koizumi's successor, Shinzo Abe, in September. Referring to Koizumi, Powell told his young audience that "the kind of leadership that Japan needs to see" is that exemplified by Koizumi in pressing society for "changes for the better." Koizumi, who led Japan from 2001 to 2006, was known for his daring call for "destroying" the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's old guard and for implementing bold economic reforms. He especially pursued the privatization of the postal services, one of the major pillars of his structural reform drive aimed at revitalizing the Japanese economy. According to Powell, the United States hopes to see the Japanese people "ready, capable of finding that kind of leader." "People are looking for leaders who have to make compromises as a political matter but still are compromising within a range of principles, that they are doing what they believe, and we saw that very much in Prime Minister Koizumi," Powell said, adding that despite some compromises Koizumi had to make due to political circumstances, one could see "his principles shine through" Koizumi's term was also described as a time when Japan and the United States saw their "best-ever" relationship due to Koizumi's close personal ties with U.S. President George W. Bush. Turning to the Fukuda administration, Powell said his country is currently watching developments. "With respect to the current leadership...we're waiting to see what kind of policies he will have and what kind of support he will have with the Japanese people," he said. On the controversial issue in Japan of whether the country will continue to refuel ships in the Indian Ocean for U.S.-led antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, Powell voiced hope that Japan will do so, calling the mission an "important contribution." "I know it's a very controversial issue but I hope the government, the Diet will see the wisdom of continuing to support this effort," he told reporters after his lecture. Powell, 70, served as secretary of state from 2001 to 2004. He also served as a career soldier for 35 years, rose to four-star rank and became the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He oversaw Operation Desert Storm in the 1991 Persian Gulf War. Powell's lecture was entitled, "Leadership: Taking Charge." The event was sponsored by the university's School of Sports Sciences. |
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