A Prime Minister on YouTube

TOKYO: Japan’s Prime Minister has begun posting English-language messages on the video-sharing Internet site YouTube in an apparent bid to raise his country’s international profile.

In his online New Year’s message for 2008, Yasuo Fukuda speaks in English about the challenges facing the world in the coming year and promises to play a leading role in finding solutions.

“Of these challenges, those that concern the environment seriously affect all who live on this earth. Japan’s mission is to play a major role in this area,” he says in the video set against a backdrop of leather-bound books at his official residence.

“We will contribute to creating a world where people can live peacefully,” he says in the five-minute clip.

As of Wednesday morning, the English video clip had been viewed 385 times, while a Japanese-language version had been viewed 1,465 times. Neither had yet prompted any viewers to post comments on the site.

The clip is part of the ‘YouTube LDP Channel’ launched last month by Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party.