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| Melania Trump embraced by Japanese students |
TOKYO: First lady Melania Trump, who is on 13-day Asia
visit with US President Donald Trump, spent the early part of the morning on
her second day in Japan being a dutiful dignitary spouse.
According to US media, a meet-up of the Japan and
United States dignitaries came next, complete with anthems and red carpet pomp
and circumstance. Melania Trump was characteristically stoic for most of the
action, walking through the motions until, finally, it was time to split off
from her husband and join first lady Akie Abe for their solo afternoon
adventures.
At the sight of the 200 or so uniformed students
assembled to greet her in the school's gymnasium, Trump's face lit up -- she
high-fived them, was drowned in hugs and posed for a group photo, where, like
the kids, she made a peace sign with her two fingers.
A Japanese calligraphy lesson was next; the
fourth-grade classroom erupted in applause as the two first ladies entered,
mindfully watching the children draw brush strokes.
"Beautiful characters," Trump said as she
paused to admire their work. At one point, she even sat down at a small table,
answering, "fantastic, would love to," to a question of whether she,
too, would like to try.
After months of relative mystery, often standing
quietly beside her husband, eyes hidden behind those ever-present giant
sunglasses, the first lady is emerging lately as a soothing presence in an
otherwise tumultuous administration. Her recently announced platform centers
around helping children, with the goal of leaving the next generation in a
better position than current one.
As Abe and Trump left the elementary school, a band
played "Over the Rainbow," and the youngest students enthusiastically
waved little US and Japanese flags.
