Japan's Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stands with Myaku-Myaku, the mascot for the 2025 Osaka World Expo, during a visit to the Tokyo Girls Collection fashion event in the Shibuya district of Tokyo on March 1, 2025. (Photo by Jiji Press / AFP)
Tokyo: Sporting a pair of jeans and sneakers, Japan's prime minister ditched his usually solemn demeanour for a fashion show to tout a "cute, lively and cool" Japan.
Surrounded on stage by members of an all-girl pop group, Shigeru Ishiba made a surprise appearance on Saturday at the Tokyo Girls Collection -- a popular fashion festival.
"I think it would be wonderful if an event like this gains more traction, to make Japan cute, lively and cool," Ishiba said, posing alongside "Myaku-Myaku" -- the expo's red-and-blue mascot.
The stunt came as polls showed his approval ratings recovering after he got through his first face-off with US President Donald Trump last month with no major disaster.
Domestically though, Ishiba's minority government continues to face the challenge of convincing parliament to pass a budget for the new fiscal year starting in April.
Ishiba took office last year before leading his ruling coalition to a loss of its majority -- the first since 2009 -- in October snap elections.
