Foreign leaders at the Asian-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Yokohama on November 13-14 will not be asked to wear the host nation's traditional kimono.
Though no official reason has been given by the Japanese government on why the informal tradition of donning the host country's native garb during the summit, many believe the move was made so as not to make the leaders of China and South Korea "uncomfortable."
Observers have supposed that kimonos will not be worn as China and Korea are very sensitive to Japan's colonization of Asia in the past. They also pointed out tensions in Chinese-Japanese relations in regard to disputed islands between the two countries and that Chinese leader Hu Jintao would most likely be very uncomfortable wearing a kimono during the APEC summit.
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will also be present at the summit. Russian and Japanese relations have also become tense after Medvedev's recent trip to a disputed island in the Kuril Island chain.
A long-standing territorial dispute between Moscow and Tokyo over the Kuril Islands, called the Northern Territories by Japan, was aggravated by Medvedev's visit. Tokyo has described the visit, the first trip by a Russian president to the disputed islands, as "regrettable," while Moscow argued it is up to the Russian authorities to decide on their trips inside the country.
Following the row sparked by Medvedev's visit, Japan temporarily recalled its ambassador from Russia. The ambassador returned to Moscow as the Japanese government decided to refrain from further actions of protest.
Informal national attire during APEC summits was first introduced in Seattle in 1993. The leaders were then given leather jackets to wear. Since then the leaders of the Asian-Pacific countries have worn the host nation's clothes to pose for photo shoots.
TOKYO, November 12 (RIA Novosti)
