Written by: Beck

I think a strong argument can be made that Japan has the most conservative culture of any nation on earth. Yes, their brand of conservatism isn't quite like ours--they hardly think twice about getting an abortion, and religion is more of a hobby for most than a way of life. When it comes to respect for tradition and consideration of oneself as a member of the broader community, I honestly can't think of a country which scores higher. Japan's extremely low crime rate and high worker productivity are a testament to these facts.

What's more, their economy is highly industrial, highly technological, and at the leading edge of modernization. Frankly, the only thing keeping Great Britain in the "Number One Ally" slot is a shared language and history (don't get me wrong--those two factors count for a hell of a lot).

Their position in Asia is also highly strategic--proximity to rogue state North Korea and the ludicrously populous communist China makes partnership & cooperation between the United States & Japan that much more important. As such, you can well imagine the good sign I regarded this bit of news:

Japan's cabinet decided Thursday to extend the Self-Defense Forces' humanitarian assistance operation in Iraq by one year until Dec. 14, 2005.

More than 500 Japanese ground troops are stationed in Iraq's southern city of Samawah, backed up by air and maritime forces in Kuwait. The current one-year mission will expire on Tuesday.

This is even more notable than a first glance might suggest: the Japanese constitution has pacifism hard wired into it, and their troops are banned from engaging in hostile military operations. Their willingness to send troops for peace keeping & rebuilding projects shows a willingness on the part of Japan's leadership to take political major risks to help the United States.