Sidelight: A Teflon prime minister.

The former U.S. President Ronald Reagan was often referred to as "Teflon president." He got the nickname because, like the nonsticking type of plastic known as Teflon, the cheerful, optimistic president was quite impervious to criticisms and attacks from the media.

It's remarkable how Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori manages to remain unruffled in the face of a relentless barrage of criticisms leveled against him. I've long thought that he had the makings of a Teflon prime minister, but his responses to questions from the opposition in the House of Representatives Budget Committe last week revealed that nonsticking properties had come off from his frying pan, turning it …