Word: kaifu
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...TOSHIKI KAIFU...
Journalists in Japan have taken to calling their Prime Minister "Bush- Phone," a term that sounds more derisive in Japanese than it does in translation. The nickname implies that Kaifu cannot make a decision without having President Bush on the line. Uh-oh. What about "Kaifu-Phone...
...Kaifu was forced into the imbroglio by the crisis in the Persian Gulf. After 1 1/2 months of indecisive debate, the government belatedly offered $4 billion in cash to support the frontline states and the multinational forces arrayed against Iraq. Yet many Japanese realized that simply handing out money was an insufficient gesture at a time when other nations were sending soldiers to risk their lives in the Saudi desert. In a newspaper interview, former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, showing his occasional affinity for tasteless similes, declared, "If we were to try to settle everything with money, we would...
...Kaifu, himself a dove on the issue, was influenced not only by those who felt Japan should take a firmer position in support of U.S. foreign policy but also by those who believe the country's armed forces should be strengthened for the national good. At a time when university graduates can expect multiple job offers, recruiting for the military is a serious problem. Last March, 59 cadets -- a record number -- in the 424-member graduating class of the National Defense Academy refused to enter the services after completing their education...
...time being, the bill is given only slightly better than a 50-50 chance of passage. The L.D.P. has a solid majority in the Lower House, but the opposition holds a razor-thin advantage in the upper chamber. Kaifu and his colleagues are trying to convince doubters that the bill provides safeguards against abuse, though politicians are weary and the public is skeptical. The choice is difficult. If Japan decides not to send troops, it risks being accused by its allies of hiding behind the constitution to avoid global responsibilities. If it does dispatch soldiers, it could provoke dark visions...