Your Yen Being Put to Work...

...in a typically embarrassing Sisyphean quest.

Japan struggles to raise abduction issue in Asian summit, official says
AP

CEBU, Philippines - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was expected to raise the alleged abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea in a summit of 16 Asian leaders Monday, an official said.

Some leaders wanted a broader discussion on humanitarian concerns during the East Asian Summit but Japan has been lobbying to highlight the emotional issue, said Ong Keng Yong, secretary-general of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Japanese diplomats also wanted the issue to be mentioned in a final communique to be issued at the end of the one-day meeting in the central Philippine city of Cebu, he said.

"We want to talk about a broader subject called 'humanitarian concern' which includes abduction, but the Japanese think that the abduction should be highlighted,'' Ong told reporters before the summit opened.

Asked if the abduction issue would be mentioned in a final communique, Ong replied: "They're lobbying us."

Aaaarrrrgh!!!

I'm sure the Myanmarese delegation was absolutely incensed at North Korea's heinous conduct and rushed to show its support for Japan's initiative.

Amaterasu, does anyone in the Cabinet know the meaning of the term "perverse"?

How about "obsessive"?

"Inappropriate to an extreme"?

"Risible"?

Is there no one in the bureacracy capable of telling the Prime Minister:

"Abe-san, stop it. You're humiliating us. You're transforming the country into a laughingstock."

Because, you know, the current rulers don't do subtlety. At least they do not seem to understand it. They have no clue as to why so much damaging information has been leaking out into the public sphere recently.