Strange though it may seem, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who heads the ruling Democratic Party of Japan, is seeking support and advice from former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori of the No. 1 opposition Liberal Democratic Party in his bid to restructure Japanese diplomacy in general as well as improve Tokyo's relations with Russia in particular.
Even though the two belong to rival political parties, Mori has long been known not only to understand Noda but also to serve as the current prime minister's hidden mentor. What triggered Noda to approach Mori was the latter's wide channel of communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
It is no wonder that one insider close to the prime minister has said that Noda was "deeply shocked" to hear that Mori will not run in the next general election and retire from the political arena.