Kyoto, Wednesday

U.S. President George W. Bush arrived in Japan this week to a warm welcome from Prime Minister Koizumi. The two leaders exchanged handshakes, smirky grins and slightly embarrassed reciprocal slaps on the shoulder. Ahead of talks, Bush described Japan as "Swell, one of the countries, a country in Asia, and a really good country." Bush also demonstrated his grasp of tricky geography by placing Japan in the same region as "China, Korea, and Mya.. Mya.. Mya.. Thailand."

After the talks, Koizumi took Bush on a romantic walk in the gardens of Kinkakuji, where the two rode tandem on a Segway scooter, shared a skewer of dango and made mad passionate love under the autumn leaves.

At a press conference, Bush described the prime minister as his bestest buddy, while Koizumi hid his face behind a fan, giggling embarrassedly. The president presented Koizumi with a life size portrait of himself while the prime minister gave Bush carte blanche with Japan's foreign policy for the foreseeable future. Bush will continue on his Asian tour with talks in South Korea and China.

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