11:56am UK, Tuesday July 06, 2004

Japan's government plans to issue a version of its annual defence white paper as a manga comic book in a bid to make politics more popular.

The white paper, released in normal format this week, is a weighty tome of 450 pages, most of them crammed to the margins with small print and extensive footnotes in even smaller print.

Mr Koizumi: populist plan

It is to be issued as a comic in August after the idea gained the approval of  Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

"We'd like to be able to reach the younger generations, those in their 20s and 30s," a defence ministry spokeswoman said.

"We hope the public reads the report so that we gain their understanding. We must compile something that is easy to read."

Other moves to increase the white paper's appeal this year included several pages featuring a look at military uniforms over the last half century, as well as the use of glossy paper and colour photographs.