 (October's Column for Nytid. Dag provided excellent editing.)
[ Tokyo , japan] On September 26th, we here in Japan welcomed yet another new Prime Minister, Yasuo Fukuda (71). He was replacing the scandale-ridden Shinzo Abe (53) - who abruptly resigned exactly one year after he was elected with more than 60 percent approval rating.
When Abe abruptly announced his resignation on September 12, many Japanese were shocked. Not about the resignation itself, but mostly regarding the “timing” that Abe chose to reveal his resignation. Some people were disappointed, including Shigeo Iizuka, an activist of the families of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea . Abe has been widely known for his firm stance to resolve the abduction issue, and he repeatedly confirmed that taking all the abductees back to Japan is the first priority of his administration. Iizuka and the families of the abductees were looking forward to seeing a significant resolution on the issue.
The leading newspapers in Tokyo efficiently printed extra afternoon edition within hours after Abe announced his resignation. Later, people on the main railway stations managed to grab the extra paper before jumping into the trains. “This is Japan . People keep doing their things although there is a big turbulence in politics. Ordinary people don`t have so much to do with the politicians,” a friend of mine explained.
In a parallel to Gordon Brown replacing Tony Blair as the prime minister of United Kingdom in June, the veteran politician Fukuda now won the position as the leader of the governing party Liberal Democratic Party’s - his victory automatically brought him the role as Japan’s new prime minister.
Fukuda is widely known as “Mr. Conciliator”, who puts dialogue and consencus as his priority to resolve stalled-issues - such as the bitter relationship with North Korea , security cooperation in East Asia, and the “hate-love” relationship with China .
His father, Takeo Fukuda, has also served as Prime Minister (1976-1978), and he was inaugurated at the same age as his son, 71 years old. Like the younger and elder George Bush in the US , but for the first time in Japan , a father and son both happens to have become the top leader of the country.
Many observers believe that Japan`s relationship with China will be better under Fukuda. He has already declared would not visit Yasukuni Shrine - the Tokyo shrine that honors the war-dead in the past, including A-class war criminal. For China and South Korea , Japanese leaders` visit to the shrine is harmful for their relationship, as these two countries experienced Japanese colonial rules in the past.
The Former Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi (2001-2006) visited the shrine annually, and jolted the relationships with neighboring countries. While Abe failed to disclose whether he visited the shirne during he was in office. But Fukuda is regarded as a quite and humble man. For young generations, Fukuda is “someone that is too old to talk about”. For conservatives, Fukuda is a hope for a steady administration after series of shameful scandals in the previous Abe-administration.
For the international community, Fukuda is formally welcomed as a wise leader who will enhanche Japan ’s further role to achieve stability and peace. For Asian countries, Fukuda has been famous for his agenda to seriously developing relationship with other Asian countries. But on the busy streets in Tokyo , business runs as usual, people are in rush as usual, with very little concern about the new Prime Minister.
Mr. Conciliator is welcomed. (*) 
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