On death of Obuchi

At Issue: The untimely passing of Japan’s Ex-Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi after a month-long coma from a stroke.

Our View: Our people join us extend a most profound sense of condolences and sympathy to the people of Japan.

Japan has lost one of its most enduring leaders, former Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi who passed away last Sunday at Juntendo Hospital in Tokyo.

We say enduring in the sense that he became the titular head of his country when Japan’s economy took a major downward spiral in 1997.

His humble demeanor had his critics saying he won’t be able to handle the country’s deepening economic problems. He soon proved his critics wrong. Hardly anyone knew that
Obuchi was a masterful negotiator and consensus-builder who served as the chief architect of reforms that dealt decisively with vital economic measures that brought Japan back on track.

The late prime minister wanted two things as head of state of Japan: 1). To be at the helm at the turn of the century. 2). Make major strides to ensure that the world’s second largest economy returned to normalcy. He accomplished the first part of his dream, but never lived to see how his reforms pan-out in economic recovery over the long term.

Obuchi never described himself as a big shot, at least in public. He once reportedly compared himself to a “noodle house between two skyscrapers”, referring to two of his protégés, former prime ministers Yasuhiro Nakasone and the late Takeo Fukuda.

The humble image was often cited as a key to his success. Instead of the hard-driving style that is often frowned upon in Japan, Obuchi favored low-key consensus-building.

Japan’s economic recovery is important for the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. The ripple effects of Obuchi’s decisions will eventually wash ashore on these isles. The people of these islands too have had a primordial relationship with our friends from the Land of the Rising Sun, a relationship that we treasure and have strengthened all these years.

Our people join us in extending our most profound sense of condolences and sympathy to the former first family and the people of Japan in these most trying times. Let us remember the former prime minister in our thoughts and prayers throughout the week. Si Yuus Maase`!