First Ladies get VIP treatment
2008-07-06 21:06
Toyako - Wives of the leaders of the world's most-powerful nations will learn how to fold a traditional Japanese kimono while their husbands thrash out ways to assist impoverished Africa.
The spouses of leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) nations, including Laura Bush, will also be offered the opportunity to observe a Japanese tea ceremony on the first day of the G8 summit on the northern island of Hokkaido.
Kiyoko Fukuda, wife of Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, has organised the spouse programme to occupy the wives - German Chancellor Angela Merkel's chemistry professor husband is not attending - of the good and the great.
Organisers of the event, which will welcome the G8 leaders as well as those of another 15 nations, revealed that the spouses also will visit the village of Makkari near the summit venue of Toyako, a scenic mountain resort.
Special spouses' dinner
Makkari is the local centre of cultivation of lilies, which also are used in Japanese cuisine.
On Monday, the Fukudas - attending their first G8 summit - will host an official dinner for the G8 leaders and their wives, while Kiyoko will host a spouses' dinner on Tuesday.
The Japanese leader's wife will be in the company of fellow G8 first-timers Svetlana Medvedeva, wife of Russia's Dmitry Medvedev, and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's wife, Sarah.
US President George W Bush and his wife, Laura, are attending their last summit ahead of elections in November.
French supermodel turned First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy will not be coming, leading a top Japanese official to voice disappointment.
- SAPA