It is really astonishing for many people. It is completely out of Japanese culture. You don't assassinate your friends.

Leading politicians, including Prime Minister Hashimoto, realize the central government has not been treating Okinawa well for a long time,

Koizumi played a very clever game by kicking out the anti- reformers. His political success is so crucial to getting things done that foreign investors have good reason to see him as a symbol for change.

Formally speaking, nothing has changed at the end of the day. But beneath the superficial format, rather clear-cut changes are under way.

It's a simple question, and that question has penetrated the minds of voters.

It's a real culture shock. Leaving is not only hard because they would be so isolated from their parents, friends and family, it's also like a foreign country.