Japanese Prime Minister Turns to YouTube for Public Diplomacy

In a move to boost relations with the country’s Asian neighbors, Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is now posting videos on YouTube — in English as well as Japanese. English is apparently widely used in Asia for cross-cultural communications, and the PM’s New Year’s Greeting (below) is an attempt to reach an audience outside of Japan’s borders. This example is more than just a bit dry, but like all online video, it has the advantage of bypassing mainstream media filters and reaching viewers directly.

If you’d prefer the Japanese-language version, which has been viewed more times than the English one at this point, here it is. You can also check out other videos from the Liberal Democratic Party, which has had a YouTube channel since November.

– cpd