Japanese Prime Minister says he wants Bush re-elected

TOKYO, Oct 14 (AFP) - Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday expressed hope for the re-election of his close ally George W. Bush in the tight US presidential race.
"I don't want to intervene in another country's election, but because I have been close with President Bush, I want him to carry on," Koizumi was quoted by Jiji Press as telling reporters.
He made the remarks when asked about the latest US opinion polls, some of which put Democratic rival Senator John Kerry ahead.
It is rare for a Japanese leader to take sides ahead of US elections.
Koizumi was among the first world leaders to voice support for the US-led strikes in Iraq. He sent troops on a humanitarian mission to Iraq in Japan's first military deployment since World War II to an area of active fighting.
Koizumi, who survived general elections last year, is expected to stay on for nearly two more years through September 2006 to become one of the longest-serving premiers in Japan.