As has been mentioned in the comments here and reported elsewhere, one of the highlights of Japan Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s state visit to the United States will be a stop in Memphis by the two national leaders in order to drop in on Graceland.

This will mark the first time for reigning elected national leaders to visit the home of The King.

Koizumi is well known as being a huge Elvis fan, and has even put together a compilation CD of 25 of his favorite Elvis tunes, complete with liner notes by the PM. The CD sold 200,000 copies and reached Number 8 on the Japanese music charts.

Koizumi was born January 8, which is the same as Elvis’ birthday.

“I love Elvis,” he told the 5,000 strong Elvis Presley Fan Club in Tokyo in 2001. “I never get tired of listening to his songs no matter how many times I hear them.”

Mr Koizumi’s enthusiasm for Elvis dates from his childhood. He says the first English song he ever learned was “I Want You, I Love You, I Need You”.

And Koizumi takes his love of Elvis seriously.

Thanks to financing by Koizumi and is brother Masaya, a statue of Elvis stands today in Tokyo’s trendy Harajuku District.

Koizumi is not alone among his countrymen in his love for Elvis.

Japan is also the second biggest market in Asia after Australia for sales of Elvis music.

“Everybody knows who Elvis is,” says Takuya Matsuyama of BMG Japan. “There are a lot of fans who are over 40, but the number of younger fans is increasing too. Lots of musicians say they like Elvis, so young people want to check him out.”

Big thanks to Andy for the tip!