Diplomacy: Mori Would Have Been Better Off Saying Less

American voters disheartened by their choice should consider the poor Japanese, who have suffered through 14 sad-sack Prime Ministers since 1988. And before George W. or Al is sworn in, they may get No. 15. That's because the current leader, the tin-tongued YOSHIRO MORI, has bumbled big time into the high-stakes diplomatic drama on the Korean peninsula.

Japan has its issues with North Korea, not least of which is the fate of 10 Japanese who went missing more than 20 years ago. Tokyo insists they were abducted by Pyongyang's spies. Mori recently let slip that on a 1997 trip to the...

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