29 March, 2005

Shall we dance, Mr. PM?

Here is an interesting picture. This is a dance of Japan's Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and American film star Richard Gere.

Gere visited at the Prime Minister's official residence in Tokyo today. He is now in Tokyo to promote his latest film, Shall We Dance?, which is a Hollywood version of the Japanese hit movie with the same title. Among some fans of Gere in Japan, there is an opinion that he resembles Koizumi in that he's got silvery hair.

Here is more to it. Yesterday, Gere astonished reporters at a press interview of the new film in Tokyo. After the interview, he walked off a stage and grabbed presenter's microphone. Then, he expressed anger over Europe's plans to lift an arms embargo against China.

I so agree with your prime minister that the European Union should not remove the ban against selling arms to China. I agree with him totally.

As to a new Chinese law which sanctions the use of force against Taiwan, he said;

They should not be rewarded for this anti-secession legislation that's in now.

These comments were related to yesterday's disagreement between Junichiro Koizumi and French President Jacques Chirac, who is visiting Japan now and said that lifting the arms embargo would not result in an increase in weapons sales to China.

He's a Buddhist and supporter of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan spiritual leader. He also criticised Chinese government's policy before at the Academy Awards Presentation in 1993.

» Reuter | Actor Gere Hits at Plan to Lift China Arms Embargo
28 March 2005

» BBC News | France and Japan clash over China
27 March 2005