Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae faced awkward moments during the G20 summit in Johannesburg, arriving nearly one hour late and appearing uncomfortable during the leaders' group photo.
According to All-Nippon News Network, Takaichi missed opportunities to greet other leaders including Chinese Premier Li Qiang when she failed to appear at the Thursday opening session on time.
Video circulating online showed Takaichi positioned between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka during the group photo, with the two leaders conversing across her while she maintained an awkward smile.
Photo: Reuters
Japanese officials said Takaichi also skipped the post-meeting dinner to "prepare for the following days' schedules," without providing further explanation.
Before departing for South Africa, Takaichi had posted on social media about feeling exhausted even from packing, noting she spent the most time selecting outfits and couldn't shake a parliamentarian's questioning from her mind, suggesting recent controversies had increased pressure.
The series of uncomfortable moments at the international gathering came amid ongoing diplomatic tensions following Takaichi's recent comments about Taiwan.
