President Obama welcomed Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife this morning during a South Lawn ceremony, recalling the fond experiences that the Obama family previously had in Japan.
“In Kyoto, Michelle had the honor of playing the taiko drums, in Tokyo I played soccer with Asimo the Robot,” he said.
Adopting the Japanese pronunciation, Obama recognized some of Japan’s contributions to American culture.
“Today is also a chance for Americans, especially our young people, to say thank you for all the things we love from Japan, like karate, karaoke, manga, and anime and of course emojis,” he said as the audience laughed.
Obama is expected to host a press conference with Prime Minister Abe at around noon followed by an official state dinner at the White House.
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