On March 10, while the new Chilean President Gabriel Boric was celebrating his election, the Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Kiyoshi Odawara took the opportunity to come and congratulate him with a nice gift… a Pokémon Squirtle plush !
A well-chosen gift
Some time ago, Japanese media asked Gabriel Boric what his favorite Pokémon was. To which he replied "it's totally Squirtle, I love it" , which necessarily inspired Kiyoshi Odawara for his gift.
The Chilean president, elected last December, also became the youngest president in the country's history. He is therefore part of the generation that grew up with the first Pokémon games that take place in the Kanto region, and his favorite water starter has therefore accompanied him on many adventures. It would seem that Carapuce will now accompany him in his mandate!
The Japanese Foreign Minister replied under this tweet: "It was a great honor to be received by you with joy. Thank you for appreciating our culture. I would like to continue to deepen the friendship between our countries which celebrate this year 125 years of friendship" .
Japan and its original gifts
The Japanese government is known for offering more than original gifts to public figures. For example, during his visit to Japan in 2019, Pope Francis received an "animated" jacket from members of the government. Pictures are worth more than words so here is the famous gift below:
Japanese anime are now fully part of the country's overall culture, and the government is determined to spread it around the world. A Squirtle in the Chilean presidential offices and an anime jacket in Pope Francis' wardrobe are therefore great ways to mark his friendship with the land of the rising sun.
Following the release of Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki explained to The New Yorker how the idea of the summoning system came to him.
