CNN’s American Morning broadcasted live from Tokyo from December 13 to 15, marking the first time the program has aired from Asia, according to its news advisory.
In the three-day series of live report coverage on CNN, various aspects of Japanese culture and society were introduced, including samurai swordsmanship, secret of longevity in Okinawa, popularity of Japanese cars, meditation at Zen temples, state-of-the-art mobile phones, superb train system, fashion trends among Japanese teens in Harajuku, “Beer Gardens” on the department store rooftops, art of Sushi-making, and computer games.
Japan can never allow Iraq to be a terrorist hub, said Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi during an interview with CNN in Tokyo on December 15, recognizing that Japan’s prosperity counts on peace and stability of the world.
Prime Minister Koizumi emphasized Japan’s responsibility as a member of the international society and the importance of maintaining the international momentum for reconstruction of Iraq.
In the same interview, when asked about the relationship with President Bush, Koizumi said, “since the 9/11 attacks, we are two men who share important values: objectives, perceptions and way of thinking, and we have taken specific actions from the onset to preserve those values. Our friendship is founded on that relationship of mutual trust.”
After brief discussions about North Korea and U.S. Forces in Japan, the interview was concluded with Koizumi singing an Elvis Presley song with the CNN anchor Bill Hemmer.
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* Japan-U.S. relations
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