The Japanese prime minister's charity
Elvis CD.We would like you to put your brains to work here. Junichiro Koizumi is in the US today, and, as part of his valedictory visit as Japanese prime minister, George Bush is to take him to Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. It will be the first such visit by any sitting US president or world leader.
Mr Koizumi is a huge Elvis fan. He released a charity CD called Junichiro Koizumi presents: My Elvis Songs, used his influence when an MP to get an Elvis statue in Tokyo and often remarks how he shares a birthday (January 8) with the king. When Mr Bush celebrated his 59th birthday at the Gleneagles G8 summit, Mr Koizumi sang I Want You, I Need You, I Love You to the US president. (When you consider Marlyn Monroe left JFK with a mere "Happy birthday, Mr President", it is really something.)
The unusually close relationship between the two men (according to this piece from the New York Times, Mr Bush "just gets a total kick out of the guy") reportedly began when Mr Koizumi first met Mr Bush, and tried to explain US-Japanese relations to him by means of an Elvis lyric. So here is what we want to know: what was the song? Suggestions in the comment box please.
Finally, here is Mr Koizumi's message to Elvis fans on becoming prime minister in 2002.
Since I took office, I have been so busy that I literally have no time for sleep. In weekends, when I find time to be back home, and can afford listening to Elvis songs after weeks long craving, certainly his voice eases off my fatigue.
These days, I feel sort of healing power from his Gospels. No doubt, Elvis' recordings are a godsend great legacy of art from the last century. Elvis is forever and so are his songs.
