Prime Minister Fukuda's final email.

Well, Prime Minister Fukuda has resigned.  The reasons he has given for resigning have been somewhat vague.  However, Mr. Fukuda has sent me one last email before he leaves office.

Here is some of what he says in his email message:

"In the old days, some Japanese people were fond of the expression "the eternal now."

"People despise past things by saying that such things are old and they praise contemporary things by declaring that they are new. However, if today's novelty is truly new, that novelty must surely persist through time and remain forever new."

Say what?

"I often used to think of "the eternal now" when drawing up policy."

I can picture Mr. Fukuda, sitting in his PM office, thinking of the enternal now.  Hmm, I'm strating to understand why he was not successful.  Too much daydreaming, not enough working.

"We should retain policies that show compassion to all. For the wellbeing of everyone, new policies must constantly be introduced. We must not neglect to take care so that our policies never grow old and stale but stay new and fresh."

He is giving some good advice to Taro Aso, only fresh ideas, no stale one.  We don't want stale ideas.

"In my capacity, I am frequently asked what politics is about. My answer is always the same -- To pursue ordinary things sincerely in an ordinary way."

Mr. Fukuda was a very odinary man.  This was another one of his problems, he was just a very ordinary Prime Minister.

On Monday of this week, I made the decision to resign from the post of Prime Minister. I did so because I believe that a new system should be put in place in order to proceed even more powerfully with policy for the people.

That was very ordinary of him, I mean, that was very big of him.

I am just filled with a sense of gratitude toward you -- the readers of this e-mail magazine. I would like to thank you all very much for paying me the courtesy of reading my words over the past year.

You're welcome Mr. Fukuda.  We won't forget you, for at least a few days.