Newsletter No. 152
January 6, 2006

 

SHARON’S STROKE STYMIES KOIZUMI’S PLANS

Many of you have probably heard the news already, but Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s massive stroke has led the Japanese government to cancel Prime Minister Koizumi’s planned visit to Israel and Palestine this weekend. Not for the first time, events in the region have conspired to upset Koizumi’s dream of playing a high-profile role in the Arab-Israeli peace process and, incidentally, strengthening Japan’s case for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council. It now appears that Koizumi will not have the chance to become the second sitting Japanese prime minister to visit Jerusalem.

Kyodo News quoted Koizumi as saying the following in regard to Sharon and Japan’s role in the peace process: “I care for his medical condition. I wish him to recover at an early date… I’m also worried about [the Middle East peace process] as it has an influence on the entire world, and we will have to consider what Japan can do for that.”

Prime Minister Koizumi will still make the trip to Turkey, largely as planned. He is scheduled to be in Turkey from the 9th to the 13th and to meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, among other things. The Shingetsu Institute will, of course, cover the main events of that visit.