BIG IN JAPAN
Junichiro Koizumi
 The most charismatic and outspoken Prime Minister in years-and
there have been nine men at the top in the last decade-Junichiro Koizumi is injecting new
life into the previously yawn-inducing gray world of Japanese politics. For starters,
Koizumi is currently single and makes no bones about going on official engagements without
a female companion, something previously frowned upon in the conservative world of the
Diet. A divorcée with two sons, Koizumi' the first post-war PM to go it solo. Then
there's his rather un-ministerial passion for karaoke and his favorite song, "Forever
Love," by X-Japan. An easily distinguishable hairstyle seems to be the pre-requisite
for being PM these days-there was Hashimoto's pompadour, Obuchi's comb-over, and now
Koizumi is cutting a dash with his trademark ram's horn hair, for which he pays a princely
JY8000 per perm. And to top it all, Koizumi even has opinions and isn't afraid to speak
his mind in public-a brave move considering the gaffes that led to predecessor Mori's
downfall.
An economics graduate of the prestigious Keio University, Koizumi's slight build (169cm,
60kg) belies his political stature. Unlike his American counterpart, he has plenty of
political experience, having already served in four cabinets as Parliamentary Finance Vice
Minister, Post and Telecommunications Minister, and Health, Labor and Welfare Minister. He
was also Vice Secretary General of his party, the LDP, and began his career back in 1970
as secretary to his mentor, Takeo Fukuda. Two years later, Koizumi made his debut in the
House of Representatives and went on to win ten subsequent elections to the House. A
third-generation career politician - his father was Minister of Defense and his
grandfather was Vice Speaker in the House of Representatives and Minister of Posts and
Telecommunications - Jun-chan, a native of Yokosuka, is a parliamentarian with pedigree.
By promoting more women and younger politicians to the cabinet, Koizumi has already
managed to garner further public support, not least by appointing outspoken Makiko Tanaka
to the Foreign Ministry. "I want to appoint those who are zealous about reform,"
he was recently quoted as saying, and it seems as if the public are ready to see some
changes.
Having witnessed from the inside how internal factions have torn apart the LDP, Koizumi's
grand aim is to abolish the political cliques and eliminate the sleaze and under-the-table
dealings that have driven the parliamentary system. Interesting considering that he was
himself the head of one such faction and that ultimately his future will depend on party
elders' continuing support. His previous runs for the PM's job back in 1995 and 1998
failed precisely because he lacked the backing of the party faithful. This year, the time
was right for Koizumi, and he gained 287 votes out of a possible 478 to snatch the honors
from his old boss, Ryuichi Hashimoto, who was eyeing the premiership for a second time.
Whether Jun-chan will weather the turbulent world of J-politics remains to be seen, but if
he's anything like his idol, Winston Churchill, he may ride the current swell of
popularity well into the future.
Matt Wilce
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