Japan drafts AKB48 for goodwill mission to China

〝細wIN_

In the early 1970s, “ping pong diplomacy” was used to open a few doors in China. Now, some 40 years later, Japan’s princesses of pop hope to turn some heads as well as they try to improve Sino-Japan relations.
Foreign Minister Koichiro Genba on Feb. 2 met members of the all-girl idol group AKB48, whom he had appointed official supporters of the "Vibrant Japan" (Huoli Riben) campaign to promote Japanese products in China. The minister handed them a letter of appointment during the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.
"We would be happy if we could cheer up, as best we can, people in areas affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake, and people in Japan at large," said AKB48 member Tomomi Itano, 20, after receiving the letter.
The performers will be part of exhibitions to promote the export of Japanese products and to try to increase visits to Japan by Chinese tourists. Both the volume of exports and the number of tourists fell sharply after the March 11 disaster triggered a crisis at the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant.

via AJW

omnke

嘗試漢化...

在70年代前期，「乒乓外交」被用作天朝對外開放的其中一個辦法。在40多年後的今天，在日本膾炙人口的歌姬們也希望能改變天朝眾的一些看法，以至希望嘗試改善中日關係。

在今年2月2日，日本外相玄葉光一郎約見女性偶像組合AKB48的成員，她們被任命為「活力日本」活動的官方代表，並為大和國向天朝宣傳推介其產品。在東京外務省的約見期間，玄葉外相向AKB成員們交予委任狀。

在接過委任狀後，AKB48成員板野友美(20)表示「很高興若我們能盡最大努力，為東日本大地震受影響地區的災民和其餘全部的日本國民能重新振作而出力。」

這些表演者將會作為宣傳日本出口產品展覽會的其中部份，並嘗試為大倭吸引更多的強國旅客。由於自311福島第一核危機災難後，日本的出口和旅客數量皆顯著大幅下降。

kk012003

真想3月快點到來啊.....