Aso’s cultural diplomacy: so far so goodJanuary 11th, 2007 by Adamu |
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If Foreign Minister Taro Aso can keep wonderful photo opportunities like this up, I would support him for prime minister no matter who he might want to nuke:
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, front centre, poses with Bulgaria’s sumo wrestlers during the opening ceremony of a donation to Bulgarian Sumo Federaton, in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Thursday, Jan.
Bulgaria was likely singled out as it’s the home country of star Sumo wrestler Kotooshu. Kotooshu is currently an ozeki, one rank under Yokozuna, though he is unlikely to achieve yokozuna status, the top rank in the sport, for some time (Japanese Mongolian wrestler Hakuho might make it this year to the delight of people who want to see more Japanese Mongolian faces in the sport).
Aso has made promotion of Japanese cultural exports, chiefly anime and manga, a priority as he sees it integral to cultivating Japan’s “soft power.” You can read the details of his cultural diplomacy ideas (essentially, the main pillar in building a “Japan brand”) here.
January 11th, 2007 at 9:55 am
Aso’s next stop:Maid cafe in Akihabara.
January 11th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Isn’t Hakuho a Mongolian?
January 11th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Yep.
January 11th, 2007 at 8:14 pm
crap.
January 11th, 2007 at 8:17 pm
I knew that too, what was I thinking?
January 11th, 2007 at 9:39 pm
[...] Foreign Minister Taro Aso is lookin’ cool with these Bulgarian sumo wrestlers. [...]
January 11th, 2007 at 9:58 pm
Now, should I be offended by
a)Adamu who misread my country based on prejudice.(again)
or b)Adamu who misrepresented my countryfolk of adopted homeland.
January 11th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
or
c) Let’s just have a laugh and hope that Aso funds some good anime or something.
January 11th, 2007 at 11:06 pm
OK I’ll take c).
M-Bone:Speaking of Aso and Mongolia,One night I was watching midnight TV.週刊アサ秘ジャーナル,hosted by The Asakusa Kid cruising Nagatacho meeting politicians. Aso was a keen reader of Japanese Mongologist.Okada Hidehiro岡田英弘’ s book
「この厄介な国、中国」 Okada is a great Mongologist,however this is a terrible,terrible book.Also in the bookshelves, his favourite manga …..GOLGO13!
“Everything you need to know about diplomacy,I learned in this manga”,said he in the program….
Maybe Aso should just forget the diplomacy and stick to the culture part.
By the way, could I have a hint on your Japan Focus artile?
January 12th, 2007 at 12:40 am
I love Kotooshu’s sponsorship:
Meiji BULGARIA Yogurt! “If it fills ME up, it’s good enough for you!”
January 12th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Joe, that’s not photoshopped, is it? God I hope not.
January 12th, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Nope, found it on the sumo site at goo.
January 15th, 2007 at 3:57 am
[...] Adamu from Mutantfrog blogs an interesting photo of Japan Foreign minister Taro Aso: If Foreign Minister Taro Aso can keep wonderful photo opportunities like this up, I would support him for prime minister no matter who he might want to nuke… Oiwan Lam [...]
January 15th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
[...] “Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, front centre, poses with Bulgaria’s sumo wrestlers during the opening ceremony of a donation to Bulgarian Sumo Federaton, in the Bulgarian capital Sofia, Thursday”: [...]
June 13th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
[...] I accept that he’s not a particularly savoury character, but look at that photo of him (adapted from Mutantfrog Travelogue)… it bleeds [...]
December 2nd, 2007 at 4:24 pm
[...] the focus is not only on manga – Aso also visited a sumo stable in Bulgaria, home of ozeki Kotooshu – but could it be that his excitement over the worldwide popularity of his [...]