Aye.... like some OTHER countries that I won't name. Japan has an opportunity here to put a shutter on their wingnut right ultra-nationalist fringe or at least make sure they stay in the "clown" category rather than the "dangerous" zone. The general population's mood against the Abe focus on such rhetoric rather than "mochi and tofu" (bread and butter) issues I found a good sign.
If Aso is the next chief clown.... the LDP may marginalize themselves without any help from the opposition parties
I always tagged Koizumi as a kind of 'japanese Reagan'. Most voters liked him even if they found some of his policies distasteful. Kind of a unique character.
Ah well, I didn't want the culture discussion to ignore the political realm but I also don't want it to smother the more basic stuff like "where are the coolest ryokans?"