February 22, 2008; Volume 04, Number 06

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Thanks for dropping by again today to all. Including you new listeners. Sorry to have missed you last week. Day job complications, and a chance to visit my dad in North Carolina. This week, though, we have to consider two gloomy topics. Gloomy both in the specifics of the topics. And gloomy when we consider the Fukuda Cabinet's political response.

The first is the collision earlier this week between the MSDF destroyer, Atago, and a civilian fishing boat. The second is the suspected rape of another Okinawan teenager by a U.S. Serviceman. For both, given limitations of both information and expertise, our focus is on the politics of the issues. Especially the response of the Fukuda Cabinet.

And, one more encouraging topic: continuation of the bilateral investigation of the contaminated gyoza incident. Or incidents. This has been going quite well. Or, at least, it hasn't degenerated into mutual finger-pointing and name-calling. And that's encouraging.

Lots more to consider. But it will have to wait until next week.