Kuala Lumpur hails Koizumi's appointment.(Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi)(Brief Article)

KUALA LUMPUR, Fri. - There is a lot Malaysia and Japan can do together in the context of bilateral ties and Asean, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said.

Welcoming the appointment of Junichiro Koizumi as the new Japanese Prime Minister, he said:

"Japan's traditional relationship with the United States and other Western superpowers does not necessarily compromise its interest and attention on East Asian nations."

He said the Japanese Government's foreign policies towards Asean and East Asian countries had always been consistent.

This, he said, was despite frequent changes in leadership.

"Besides being a member nation …