Mr. Barack Obama won the keys to the White House by instilling expectations of change and optimism in the minds of the American public, as conveyed by his slogan "Yes, we can." His Jan. 20 inauguration as the United States' 44th president should be a source of great inspiration to the people and government of Japan as well.
The global economic slowdown has dealt a severe blow to Japan's economy and the haphazard management of Prime Minister Taro Aso's administration has resulted in political stagnation. Japan should use the advent of a new U.S. administration as an opportunity to both reinvigorate itself and to play a more meaningful role in the international community by deepening its cooperation with the U.S. while simultaneously upholding its principles.
It has been said that the administration of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi succeeded in strengthening Japan's relations with the U.S. However, one could charge that ties improved mainly because Japan blindly followed U.S. policies, in particular those related to the fight against terrorism.