Hiroshi Suzuki’s reference to the UK began within the Nineties when he began to go to pals of his spouse in south-west England.
Again then, he could have had no concept that by 2025 he can be serving because the Japanese ambassador to the UK and his love for the nation would have turned him right into a social media sensation.
Writing on the Japanese embassy web site, the 63-year-old from Kyoto explains why he loves the UK a lot: “Japan and the UK are irreplaceable companions who share elementary values and customary strategic pursuits.”
Properly the UK appears to like him again – however primarily as a result of his social media updates.
One of many actions Suzuki, who took up the ambassadorial put up in November, says he’s most wanting ahead to upon his return to the UK is “having fun with a pint of ale in a close-by cosy native pub”. And this can be a recurring theme in a lot of his updates on X.
Be it sipping ale within the Turf Tavern in Oxford or downing a lot of a pint in a single gulp whereas propped on a bar stool in a pub at new 12 months, the standard British thirst-quencher options usually.
Within the latter, he exclaims Pleased New 12 months earlier than pointing to a bottle clasped by a bemused bartender. “That is roku from Japan,” he says, earlier than giving a thumbs up. It’s easy and amusing, charming and eccentric. And options some unabashed product placement.
Suzuki’s love for the UK spans all corners; he posted messages of goodwill on Burns Evening (“Congratulations on Burns Evening! Auld Lang Syne may be very widespread and all the time sung on commencement ceremonies”) and his rendition of the Welsh nationwide anthem, posted on X on St David’s Day, went viral.
Additionally on St David’s Day, Suzuki posted a video of himself silently consuming a Welsh cake, washed down with a cup of tea in a mug adorned with a pink dragon, in addition to highlighting a merging of the Japanese and Welsh cultures by his daffodils created from paper utilizing origami.
Sampling native delicacies is among the hottest themes on Suzuki’s social media feed. Most not too long ago, he was seen at Sarson’s vinegar manufacturing facility in Manchester, a British title owned by the Japanese firm Mizkan.
“So once you get pleasure from fish and chips Sarsons is a will need to have, I simply can’t consider fish and chips with out Sarsons,” he says, earlier than pouring the vinegar over a plate of fish and quietly sampling the fare, and giving his trademark thumbs up.
In December, he feasted on New Forest ham and Sussex glowing wine in a video explainer for geographical indication labels, that guarantee shoppers of the authenticity of a product. “Should you see kobe beef with this stamp, you possibly can relaxation assured you’re going to get the actual deal,” he says.
Additional explaining his bond with the UK, Suzuki speaks of his ardour for the Sakura Cherry Tree Challenge.
“In 2017, as a logo of the never-changing friendship between Japan and the UK within the wake of Brexit, we began the challenge with Mr Keisaku Sandy Sano, then chairman of the Japan Affiliation within the UK, and Mr Takashi Tsukamoto, then chairman of the Japan-British Society, to plant cherry timber throughout the UK,” he writes.
“Once we began, we set the goal of planting 1,000 timber, however now we now have planted 8,000 timber and they’re blooming in lots of locations within the UK.
“Earlier than I left Japan, the three of us received collectively once more and set a brand new goal of planting 10,000 timber. In Japan, ohanami is a standard springtime occasion, the place individuals get pleasure from events beneath the cherry blossoms.
“I hope that British individuals all through the nation will equally get pleasure from a day in spring by having a picnic beneath the cherry blossoms.”
