JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER Junichiro Koizumi has made ambiguous statements about his nation's plans for the Kyoto protocol on global climate change. Since President George W. Bush announced that he was rejecting the protocol, Japan's ratification has become critical to the treaty's future. On June 30, in a meeting in the U.S., Koizumi appeared to tell Bush that Japan would not ratify the protocol without U.S. participation. "Presently, I do not have the intention of proceeding without the cooperation of the U.S.," he said. "To the very last moment, I will work with the U.S. in cooperating on environmental issues." The Bush Administration concluded from Koizumi's remarks that Japan shared the U.S.'s negative view of the protocol. Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said on July 1 that the treaty appeared to be dead and that the Administration would continue to push alternative plans for increased research and voluntary programs on greenhouse gas reductions. "I'm glad to ...