Give us a hug

See what the world would be like if women ran it! :)

A good picture :). I always found Canadians to be extremely friendly and open people...

This photo is very easy to explain. Here in Canada, we are huggers...and that is it. It is a warm affectionate greeting....a tradition I suppose. My wife and I take care of tours of Japanese teenagers all summer who come here for 1 or 2 weeks. It used to be that the Japanese students were kind of apprehensive about it but since the same groups come each year, they are now used to it and often initiate the hugging themselves. At the end of their stay everyone hugs a lot with plenty of tears as they say goodbye. I will be visiting Japan myself next month and some of these same students will greet me at the airport with.....a hug. :)

ControlFreak

I saw this on TV this morning. There was nothing staged about it.

They're happy cause they just arrived in the best country in the world! Eh!

you must be...how should I say...delicate in nature, if you find this "disgusting"

Nice to see the wives are "good friends"

Abe and Harper look like a pair of robot-butlers trying desperately to analyse and comprehend this thing the humans call "affection".

Inner dialogue: "Mmmmmm yeah, now kiss"

Sis hug!

@Tokiyo--Oh, okay. So you find staged photo ops for political gain to be "heartwarming". Isn't that nice?

Control freak - yes, I'm sure the wives approval rating just shot up in the polls all but assuring Harper and Abe victory in the next 5 or 10 years.

It must be tough going through life thinking that every single event, photo, occurrence etc. is scripted

Canadian first lady gave hug ! Often Japanese who visit oversea do not know how to behave when other side give hugging or kissing in public, Different custom of showing affection than Japan. Glad Mrs, Abe knew how to be hugged.

Abe is waiting to hug Stephen of course... ;)

I wonder when Mr.Abe last got one of those from his wife? I'm assuming the wives have 'history'.

Abe is scrapping nuclear reactors now so Canada will help Japan with its oil sales. Glad he get deal with peaceful Canada for energy source supply. Nice hugging by first ladies. Glad they went before cold weather comes.

This Canadian politico who loves Japan hugged his Sendai family members when he last left the country, and they loved it, with tears all around. He'll hug them when he returns, next month, and again there will again be tears all around. Methinks any critic of this photo exposes a cynic that needs a hug.

Why? Did they know each other personally or something?

"wondering whats running thru abe's mind with that big grin on his face"

Maybe he's thinking "Am I supposed to hug Harper?"

First time in a long time I have seen a PM's wife here in Japan. She is obviously much younger than he.

Akie Abe's 51, Shinzo Abe''s 59. Not a drastic age difference at all. But how is that relevant?

Akie looks genuinely happy in that hug... what a lovely photo. Thanks JT.

Welcome to Canada is what Mrs Harper is saying while hugging Mrs Abe. A hug in Canada is almost 'protocol' when greeting 'friends' especially if the have traveled half way around the world to meet.

Awwww....

such a happy meeting.

This is a nice picture. I wonder if the two women are friends, or if getting used to foreign customs is just what first-ladies (or the non-America equivalent) are expected to do.

A good picture :). I always found Canadians to be extremely friendly and open people...

I heartily agree!

This put a smile on face this morning. I hope you all in JT have a great day.

wondering whats running thru abe's mind with that big grin on his face =) (4p?!)

Lest we not forget the wife of Hatoyama and her public forays shudder However, photo-op or not, if the Canadian side have both present, it would not be so unusual that the Japanese side do the same. Hardly disgusting, manipulative or otherwise.

There is really nothing negative to say about this photo. At worst it is neutral. Yet it's amazing how some find ways to accomplish this pointless goal.

hung-up !

A happy man is a man who grins.

I love her bag, any idea about which brand is it?

@ jpn_guy

Great post... Just one thing. Is it your belief that Abe was "forced out" the first time around? I thought he quit voluntarily because his tummy hurt.

Hatoyama's wife was also a minor celebrity as far as first ladies go, but for all the wrong reasons. :)

I agree yet envious. Nice legs really. What's wrong if Madame is helping out in her own way?

I saw Abe and his wife boarding their JASDF 747 the other day. First time in a long time I have seen a PM's wife here in Japan. She is obviously much younger than he. Do they have kids and what's her background? Another political match, and if so can we expect his kids to someday run things here in Japan?

Maybe Harper is happy thinking Abe is going to give him more money to clean up the west coast after the Tsunami and Abe's wife is thanking us Canadians for the blankets we gave to help out after the disaster.

How can a country with such a reputation for integrity, fairness and basic decency produce a Prime Minister like this?

And which country am I talking about? Or maybe it's both ...?

Abes wife: "Im so glad this aint the US" Harpers wife: "Aint that the truth"

Hugs

Harpo and Abe meet. I am sure Dictator Harpo is congratulating Abe-san on decreasing corporate taxes while raising sales taxes and cutting social programs. The Iron Heel at work.

Is there something better than looking at a nice pair of well toned legs? YES! looking at two nice pairs :).

@Tokiyo--Oh, okay. So you find staged photo ops for political gain to be "heartwarming". Isn't that nice?

Disgusting staged photo op.