Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Kōichi recently caused heightened tensions in China-Japan relations with her “Taiwan contingency” remarks. While that controversy has yet to subside, she was once again caught in a series of awkward moments by the media while attending the G20 leaders’ summit held recently in Johannesburg, South Africa, sparking much discussion.
According to a report by Japan’s “NNN” on the 23rd, the G20 meeting commenced on the 22nd local time, with leaders from all countries arriving at the venue one after another. The scene was lively, with leaders, including Chinese Premier Li Qiang, exchanging pleasantries and handshakes. However, Sanae Kōichi was nowhere to be seen. Reportedly, she arrived nearly one hour later than scheduled, missing the opportunity to mingle and shake hands with other leaders.
It is also reported that Kōichi later skipped the dinner banquet after the meeting. Japanese officials said she did not attend the banquet “to prepare for the following day and subsequent engagements,” but offered no further explanation.
Before departing for South Africa, Kōichi revealed on social media that even packing her luggage left her “exhausted.” She joked that she spent the most time picking out outfits and said that Senator Toyo Andō’s questions in the budget committee “kept lingering in her mind,” seemingly pointing to the pressure she has felt from the recent controversies.
However, the real “high-difficulty moment” occurred during the leaders’ group photo. Circulating videos online show Kōichi standing between Turkish President Erdoğan and Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin as the two conversed over her. Stuck in the “sandwiched” position, Kōichi could only force an awkward smile. Netizens described the scene as “the kind of moment you fear most in diplomacy.”
Sanae Kōichi’s recent Taiwan-related remarks have caused a diplomatic uproar, and her string of awkward moments at the G20 has once again put her in the media spotlight.