a shadow in US-Japan Honeymoon

There is no doubt that relations between Washington and Tokyo are at its best ever. As President Bush said in a welcoming ceremony to Japan's PM Koizumi to the White House, 60 years ago, the two countries were at war, now, become friends as close as it could be.

However, similarily no one would be surprised that Japan and US relations could sour over uncertainity after Mr. Koizumi's stepdown this September, and Yasukuri issue shed a long shadow into the two.

One question is how the US should address this sensitive issue to Mr. Koizumi and his successor. To Mr. Bush and his team, Yasukuni is a domestic issue and should be up to Japan's leaders, however, as China and South Korea get tense with Japan, and Sino-Japan, South Korea-Japan relations fall into a new low bottom, Mr. Bush's "don't ask, don't tell" policy seems to be doing more harms than good.

In a Q&A session with Japan's Diet this January, Mr. Koizumi said, Even there are different opinions regarding his Yasukuni visits, however, he never heard criticism from Pres.Bush.

A scholar from CSIS, Derek Michtell, said in an interview with TBS, Compared to Chinese and South Koreans, Americians don't pay close attention to the Yasukuni issue, however, this issue may damage Japan's credibility. ("米国では中国・韓国に比べ、あまり靖国問題に関心は払われていませんが、いずれ米国の日本に対する信用を多少傷つけることになるかもしれません」（戦 略国際問題研究所　デレク・ミッチェル上級研究員）

Now it may the time for Mr. Bush to say something to Mr.Koizumi or to his successor. Otherwise, it will remain a long shadow in US-Japan's Honeymoon.