Joint Chiefs Commander Peter Pace -- in the photo above may be reminding Japanese troops that homosexuality is immoral over in Tokyo too (just joking) -- stopped in Japan to reaffirm the bilateral relationship.

While the Japanese government issued a press release stating that Foreign Minister Aso (the likely next prime minister) and General Pace discussed joint ballistic missile defense efforts; shoring up forces to deter potential North Korean aggression; reallignment of some U.S. military activities outside of Okinawa in what has been a slow, decade-plus-long road map (thus far) following the rape of a 12-year old girl by three U.S. military personnel; and Japan's further assistance (financial now) in the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq -- we do not have any information on whether Japan's Defense Minister -- a critic of America's war in Iraq -- got any "quality time" with Pace.

Defense Minister Fumio Kyuma and Foreign Minister Taro Aso have both expressed reservations about America's Middle East military adventure -- but Kyuma went the furthest earlier this year calling the Iraq War "wrong."

Vice President Cheney refused to meet Kyuma during his recent Tokyo jaunt, and while one news report does state that General Pace met both Kyuma and Aso -- no one has reported any words or agreements that might have transpired between Japan's Defense Minister and America's most senior general.

The Foreign Minister's office, however, did not offer any commentary on whether homosexuality in Japan's military ranks was a priority concern for General Pace.

-- Steve Clemons

Update: A TWN reader provided this video that I had seen a while back but lost track of. Funniest thing you'll see all year. . .

-- Steve Clemons