Koizumi Diplomacy: Japan's Kantei Approach to Foreign and Defense AffairsJapan's policymaking strategy in foreign and defense affairs changed dramatically in 2001 after Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi took the helm of the long ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Following a series of bland and short lived prime ministers, Koizumi's infusion of fresh energy into a tired and opaque party has been compared with Tony Blair's successful revamping of New Labour in the U. K. Koizumi, however, had a weak power base in the party and