Japan - the Post Office or nothing

As electioneering gets underway in Japan, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has staked his career, and the ruling parties future in power, on reform of the Postal service - almost to the exclusion of all other issues. The Japanese media are highlighting this as a tactical mistake, while the opposition seem to have a more rounded program for dealing with other problems like relations with their Asian neighbours, local government debt etc. more from the Asahi Shimbun...