INSIDE JAPAN from our view

CIA leak probe continues  WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The CIA leak investigation is "not over," special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald said Friday after announcing charges against I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff. Fitzgerald said he will be keeping the investigation "open to consider other matters." But, he said, "the substantial bulk of the work in this investigation is concluded."

As far as I know, Most Japanese have not been interested in this news.

One reason is the difference of political systems between Japan and USA. The term CIA is also very familiar with us because we love American films which contain a lot of mysteries including CIA. However, we do not know or feel vividly how the agents are working or what purpose they are pursuing. Japan depends largely on US in many strategic policies so that we do not have any special task force like FBI or CIA. There must be few people who can understand that CIA agent's ID must be secret.

Second reason is the presidency. Japanese top is now Junichiro Koizumi who is Prime Minister. The people of Japan cannot elect Prime Minister directly. All we are entitled to do about politics is voting for Congressmen who vote for Prime Minister directly. That is why Japanese people are not interested in who should be Prime Minister or tend to dislike our Prime Minister. American can choose their boss by themselves. I think that responsibility makes quite big differences. So if their own boss who is chosen by themselves betrays them, it has something to do all people in the country. Even if the same leak as CIA occurred in Japan, it would not become this kind of big stories. Instead, Prime Minister would just resign before it could damage his career more. It seems far more difficult to quit President than Prime Minister.

Third and final reason is our nature. How are we interested in another country's politics although most of us do not have any particular opinion in our government. In fact, Japanese prime problem is economy and politics is far from our interests.