HONG KONG — Some political commentators are suggesting that Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama is preparing to make Britain his model for reforming Japan's government system so that ministers — and not bureaucrats — make the important policy decisions.
Before going any further, Hatoyama or one of his trusted lieutenants should visit the United Kingdom to understand the merits as well as the deep flaws and fault lines that have developed in the British government system.
On the way it would be worth their while to stop over in Bangkok to meet Korn Chatikavanij, Thailand's finance minister, who is a key figure trying to fix a battered parliamentary system of government where things had gone too far the other way from Japan.