Japan is Getting Pikotaro to Meet With Donald Trump During Visit
By Ryan General
Japan is pulling all the stops to give United States President Donald Trump a memorable time by having the outlandish Pikotaro entertain him during his upcoming trip to the country. Trump will be visiting Japan from November 5 to 7 on the first leg of his all-important 12-day trip to Asia, where he is set to discuss a number of pressing issues with leaders in the region.
According to The Washington Post, Pikotaro, known for his extremely popular song, “Pen Pineapple Apple Pen (PPAP)”, will be attending the dinner party to be hosted by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the American leader on Monday.
The flamboyant 43-year-old singer, whose real name is Daimaou Kosaka, was propelled into international stardom with his offbeat humor showcased in the PPAP music video. The viral song has reached over 110 million views on YouTube.
The video’s popularity even had Ivanka Trump’s then 5-year-old daughter, Arabella, singing the catchy ditty late last year. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saw Arabella’s video, he could not help but praise President Trump’s granddaughter. Reports even claimed that Pikotaro was actually invited because Abe knew Arabella was a fan.
The video’s popularity even had Ivanka Trump’s then 5-year-old daughter, Arabella, singing the catchy ditty late last year. When Prime Minister Shinzo Abe saw Arabella’s video, he could not help but praise President Trump’s granddaughter. Reports even claimed that Pikotaro was actually invited because Abe knew Arabella was a fan.
According to Japan Times, the Japanese government believes that while Abe’s diplomacy with former U.S. President Barack Obama was more business-like, Abe and Trump have developed a good relationship after having played golf in Florida in February.
The two leaders will be joined by golfer Hideki Matsuyama, currently ranked fourth in the world, to play a round of golf on November 5 at Kasumigaseki Country Club in Kawagoe. Pikotaro will be joining a dinner party the following day to cap off the day’s meetings.
Earlier this week, the Japanese government has expressed its commitment to work with the U.S. government on steps to counter North Korea’s nuclear and missile development ahead of Trump’s arrival in Japan.
Feature image via Wikimedia Commons/Gage Skidmore (CC BY-SA 2.0) and Youtube/PIKOTARO OFFICIAL CHANNEL
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