LARRY ROIBAL

Ball point pen on todays newsprint

Last August I promised to stay tuned to Yokio Hatoyama who rose to Prime Minister of Japan on a campaign platform to end American-dominated globalization, to reorient Japan towards Asia and to reconsider American military presence in Japan. After eight months in office, Hatayama says his failure to move an American base off Okinawa led to erosion of support and the reason for his stepping down.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

With two college age children, space is a frequent topic. But college students should be thankful to share 200 square feet with only one other. Japan is experiencing it’s worst recession since WWII and the unemployed have taken to selling off all possessions, decreasing the size of their footprint and moving into coffin sized digs.

Ball point pen on the morning newsprint

Yokio Hatoyama becomes the presumptive prime minister of Japan after leading the opposition Democratic Party to a landslide victory over the Liberal Democratic Party. Hatoyama campaigned on a platform to end American-dominated globalization, to reorient Japan towards Asia and to reconsider American military presence in Japan….stay tuned.