Lunch

Not a chopstick in sight...

they all look like they'd rather be anywhere else

The G8 WAG'S all look shellshocked. Maybe the translator is saying "for starters we will be having raw chicken, otherwise known as tori sashimi, followed by live whitefish swimming in a soy soup. Please do not chew the live fish". One of the G8 WAG'S has already done a runner.

Carla Bruni was wise not to come. A few others seem to be missing, too. How about German Chancellor Merkel's husband? What is he supposed to do?

How about German Chancellor Merkel's husband?

Forgot about him. Maybe they could be called the G8 WAH'S.

How about German Chancellor Merkel's husband? What is he supposed to do?

Bored wives = Play the field!

Where's the green tablecloth? The green napkins? Where's the green anything! This is Japan after all...

Looks like they're having a ball

I hope they enjoyed the lunch that I and millions of other Japanese taxpayers bought them.

They really look bored......

Looks like Angela Merkel's husband was replaced by J K Rowling (front)

The table is too big. Being so far apart, they can't talk to their neighbor without the reporters hearing exactly what they said, so everyone is keeping a tight lip. If they got closer together, they'd be more chummy. Might be a good time to start on the white wine as well.

yes ur rht

Proffessor

"The table is too big"

Heck, for 8 people, you wouldn't want anything much smaller than that.

Chancellor Merkel's husband, Joachim Sauer, is a professor for physical and theoretical chemistry at Humbold-University, Berlin. He rarely takes part in such events. He was even absent from his wife's inauguration ceremony, if I'm not mistaken. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joachim_Sauer

Shesh the wifes come as well? It's like a free for all holiday for every country on Japan's tax dollars.

Heck, for 8 people, you wouldn't want anything much smaller than that.

Only 6 table settings. Looks like only 6 women at the table and two interpreters, who are not seated at the table. They usually sit behind whoever they are interpreting for.

Looks like root canal level fun.

"Only 6 table settings"

Smack! ( sound of my hand hitting my forehead ) Oh, that's right, Sarkozy's wife skipped out, and Merckel doesn't have a wife! Heh, OK, that table could be a wee bit smaller...

"...and then he said 'Hello' to the robot! Can you believe it? It's A ROBOT!!! Tsk...Husbands!!!"

I'll bet the food that was served at this lunch was excellent.

That table looks like a giant ironing board! I mean c'mon! Where did they pick it up, at the nearest home center!?

S

I think I read this fiasco is costing us taxpayers about $300million but sure looks like they are doing it on the cheap for the wives, ha ha ha, the table is pretty sparce, wait maybe they is some kind a table dance or something coming like they cud end up eating sushi off a salaryman or something yeoooow

Spidey - Your ironing board is shaped like that table?

If there are 8 G-8 leaders and three of them (France, Italy, Germany) didn't bring their spouses..... and there are 6 ladies sitting at the table not counting the 2 interpreters.... who's the gate-crasher?

It is lunch time and nobody smiles?To me the atmosphere looks tense and bored.

Maybe the gate-crasher is the EU president's wife...

For those who are complaining about the burden this summit will bring to the Japanese taxpayer, feel my pain for awhile. As an American, "W" will fly aboard Air Force One, which costs a ton of money, also, extra military forces are placed on standby for this event, that makes for extra fly days and days underway for ships. In addition, a friend of mine flew Marine helicopters for former presidents, and the stories he told of them renting entire floors of 5 star hotels so that crews and other personnel could have a place to stay as well as paying for meals, and pretty soon, this trip will probably cost the US taxpayer a good 50-60 million dollars.

At least the JN taxpayers can get some money back from room taxes paid to the hotels the guests are staying in as well as the airport tax for the influx of foreigners. If they really wanted to recoup money back, slack off on the increased police harassment of foreigners and let more of them in and get revenues from them from their visit.

AA, we can afford it.

-Another non-issue.

USAR

If we start at the far end of the table, and call that the 12 o'clock position, then heading around the table clockwise, I think that's the wife of Russia's President Medvedev (and her interpreter beside her).

Then, there is Mrs. Fukuda and her interpreter, followed by Mrs. Harper from Canada.

The woman sitting to the left of Mrs. Harper is Margarida Sousa Uva, the wife of European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.

She is followed by Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Brown.

I agree USA, but I wanted to just make it a point to those who think Japan is going above and beyond for this summit. They want to be with the "Big Boys" then they have to play the game as well.

All the presidents have sexy wives but the three on the left are dressed as nuns. Mrs. Fukuda has good style of kimono wearing, but she should try to dress the other wives in fashionable kimonos too and invite them to a tea ceremony. She should not miss the occasion to introduce the Japanese culture to them.

Very interesting photo showing the dynamics of politics. Fukuda is standing, looking directly at bush. Bush is looking directly back at her, extremely attentive. If you look closely, she is looking directly at Fukuda and not the interpreter. Also check Bush's posture. Straight back, hands at sides, or in lap, respectful and attentive.

Also note that Bush's clothes most closely match Fukuda's in color, and although Fukuda is standing, and Bush is sitting, Fukuda is clearly deferring to Bush, check the slightly bowed head and slightly demure posture.

On the other hand,that is all they have for lunch?yellow liquid and "white" liquid.ha ha,what a starving lunch!

Sarge...I was referring to the heat resistant look and colour of the cloth and the plastic looking screw on legs. Maybe one of them is a known pyromaniac. But come to think of it...my ironing board IS shaped like that. Go figure.

Wow. I've seen finance seminars that looked more exciting.

Taka