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 The
leaders of the Group of Eight (G8) nations came to Okinawa
for an annual summit meeting July 21-23 to discuss a number of international
and economic issues. They also found time to go out of their way to
form new bonds of friendship with the people of Okinawa, Japan's southernmost
prefecture.
On July 21 British Prime Minister
Tony Blair visited an elementary school in the town of Chatan, where
he was welcomed by a student band playing songs by the Beatles. In return,
Blair greeted children with Japanese words he picked up, such as "konnichiwa"
(hello) and "arigato" (thank you).
The relationship between Britain
and Chatan dates back to 1840, when townspeople took good care of sailors
of the British ship Indian Oak, which shipwrecked near the town.
During a conversation with sixth
graders at the school library, Blair was asked why he wanted to become
prime minister. "I wanted to make Britain a prosperous, fair, and nice
country," he replied.
Also on July 21, Canadian Prime
Minister Jean Chretien visited the town of Haebaru to watch an ice hockey
friendly match between Japanese and Canadian children. Haebaru is the
only place in Okinawa that has an ice arena.
 With
some 3,000 people gathering at the town hall, Chretien attended a ceremony
to unveil a stone monument and said he hopes that the monument will
one day become a symbol of the friendship between the two countries.
During the friendly match between
the Wolf Pack from Ottawa, Canada's capital, and the Dragon Fires of
Haebaru, Chretien went onto the skating rink, putting on an ice hockey
uniform and shoes, to chase after the pack with the kid players.
On the same day, German Chancellor
Gerhard Schroeder visited the Ueno German Culture Village in Ueno Village
in Miyakojima Island, a large amusement park featuring reproductions
of a German castle, marketplace, and leisure facilities. The village
has been asking the German leader to visit the place since Okinawa was
picked to host the summit 18 months ago.
The German Culture Village was constructed
to mark the historical bond between Ueno and Germany. In 1873, people
of Ueno rescued sailors aboard a shipwrecked German merchant vessel.
Schroeder thanked the villagers
for their warm hospitality and voiced hope for continued friendly exchanges
between the small island and his country.
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