A senior politician who is challenging Japan’s prime minister for leadership of the country has slammed Americans as “simple-minded,” and confessed that he doesn’t like Brits much, either.
Ichiro Ozawa, 68 — known as the “Shadow Shogun” for his backroom dealing — today announced that he would stand against Prime Minister Naoto Kan during next month’s election for the leadership of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan. If Ozawa wins the post, which he lost last year after a funding scandal, he will take over as prime minister.
However, his bid for power may already be doomed, thanks to some highly undemocratic comments made at a political conference on Wednesday morning. “I like Americans, but they are somewhat monocellular,” he said, according to the BBC. “When I talk with Americans, I often wonder why they are so simple-minded.” Ozawa then balanced those damning words with extremely faint praise. “I don’t think Americans are very smart,” he said, “but I give extremely high credit for democracy and choices by its people.”
Full story: Japanese Contender for PM Ichiko Ozawa Slams ‘Simple-Minded’ Americans