A superstar rock idol may not have much in common with the premier of the world’s second largest economy, Japan.
But U2 lead singer Bono struck a chord with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as they sat down for some serious talks about fighting poverty and health issues in developing countries, especially in Africa.
"Japan made a promise in the G8 (summit) in Gleneagles (last year) to double its aid to Africa," Bono told reporters.
"Some countries make promises and they don’t keep them. Japan, we trust to fulfil their promise and the world believes in the honour of a Japanese promise."
"I found Prime Minister Abe to be a very warm man, very interested in these issues and I was surprised he gave me twice the time I was asking for," Bono said.
He said that Abe promised to make every effort to fulfil the promise despite tight fiscal circumstances.
"He is very interested in looking at aid and development issues with new eyes," Bono said.
Lauding Japan’s contribution of aid to Southeast Asia in the 1990s and its role in initiating at the Okinawa Group of Eight summit in 2000 to set up the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the Irish singer called on Japan to once again take lead in tackling the "crucial issues of life and death" for millions of people in the world.
"(Prime Minister Abe) surprised me even further by putting on (the) sunglasses that I gave to him," Bono said, referring to a pair of RED campaign Armani shades he presented to the premier.
"I’ve always seen (US President) George Bush looking at my sunglasses… but George Bush never put them on," the rock star said, drawing laughter from reporters.
"The last Pope John Paul, he put them on, and Prime Minister Abe. Very Cool."
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