I Ruv Ervis Plesrey (Japan PM to Visit Graceland)





















Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is photoshopped into a picture with Elvis Presley for the cover of his charity CD production, Junichiro Koizumi Presents My Favorite Elvis Songs.

It seems that Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is a huge Elvis fan. In fact, he and President George W. Bush are making the flight to Memphis tomorrow aboard Air Force One to tour The King's home and final resting place: Graceland.

Accompanying the world leaders will be First Lady Laura Bush; serving as tour guides will be Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley - Elvis' former wife and his only child. As you probably can see, this is no ordinary visit.

Although thousands of Japanese tourists visit Graceland each year, this will be the first visit by any sitting Japanese prime minister. It will also be Dubya's first visit to the sacred shrine and only the second visit by an American president. President Jimmy Carter is also reported to have visited the Mecca of rock n' roll.

Prime Minister Koizumi, however, is truly one of Elvis' biggest fans - so big that his first act as prime minister was to release a CD of his 25 favorite Elvis tunes to benefit charity...it quickly sold out. In addition, Koizumi and his brother have been members of the Elvis Presley fan club in Tokyo for over 30 years.

To add insult to injury, Koizumi crooned Elvis standard I Want You, I Need You, I Love You to Bush for his 59th birthday party at the G8 Summit in Gleneagles, Scotland hosted by Queen Elizabeth II of Britian. Also, during a 2003 visit to Bush's ranch in Crawford, Texas, Koizumi began to sing Elvis songs as the two relaxed by the pool.

Koizumi also shares Elvis' January 8 birthday and is set to step down in September as the longest-serving prime minister and, perhaps, the only leader of Japan to wear his graying hair in an Elvis-like mane. With that description, the saying "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" comes to mind.

Even though the infatuation seems a little obsessive, Mississippians often have that effect on people.

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