I work for a joint venture company in Japan. One partner is Swiss, the other Japanese. One of my lads, a Brit, is going back to the UK on business tomorrow.
Last week, the Head of General Affairs (I love these Japanese titles), a gentleman seconded by our Japanese partner, came to me and expressed his concern about this business trip particularly as his company had recently issued an instruction forbidding travel to countries that were supporting the war against Iraq!
I pointed out that I was not prepared to forbid one of my staff members from returning to his (and my) home country.
I also asked, tongue in cheek, whether we would now be moving our offices to the Caribbean considering that Koizumi had also been extremely vocal in his support of GWB. From the pained grimace on his face I could see I had made my point.
The instruction, I was told, was rescinded the following day.
The Japanese are now wildly debating how much money they will donate to the rebuilding of Iraq (also known as the much-needed boost to the US economy) once the fireworks are over..... guilt money? Who am I to judge....