Cablegate: Media Rection: Aftermath of Japan's Elections

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SUBJECT: MEDIA RECTION: AFTERMATH OF JAPAN'S ELECTIONS

TOPIC: Aftermath of Japan's elections

HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS:

"Hatoyama should be proud of speaking out"

Tom Plate, a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy,
wrote a commentary in the independent English-language South China
Morning Post (9/10): "It was just this side of comical. The leader
of Japan's new ruling party barely finishes acknowledging his
Democratic Party of Japan's huge win when a public-relations
disaster strikes. The result: an ignominious international
climbdown. What happened was not an ideal opening act for the next
Prime Minister, Yukio Hatoyama. Before the election, a Japanese
magazine published an essay by him, which thoughtfully challenged
some of the operational tenets of the 'American Century' (the
previous one).... Hatoyama shouldn't have apologized for anything.
The fact is that many Americans have similar concerns about the
brutality of unregulated globalization, about gross value systems,
and about poor people with no health insurance, housing or
prospects.... Hatoyama should be proud of his essay. In fact, it
was rather nice to see a Japanese prime minister thinking outside
the box for once. We Americans ought to be able to handle critical
thought, especially from friends and allies."

MARUT

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