Japan's high-level, new diplomat is a cartoon cat

High-tech Japan was 21st century back when this new era
was still a mere science-fiction backdrop for dreamers in many other lands. This week, the Japanese government showed just how visionary it can be in the field of diplomacy, too: In a special ceremony conducted before a gathering of national and foreign reporters, and government officials, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura appointed none other than Doraemon, one of Japan's most popular cartoon characters, the country's newest ambassador.

Itsuo Inouye/AP

This week, Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura (left) named Doraemon the country's new "anime ambassador"

The blue-and-white, futuristic feline's special mission will be to promote the enjoyment and appreciation of Japanese anime (animated films that are often associated with manga, or comics) around the world. This new emphasis on a Japanese "soft" export (as opposed to "hard" exports such as automobiles or big-ticket electronics) that is a major component of Japan's ever more globally successful pop culture reflects the government's recognition of the country's so-called soft power. Nowadays, in a world in which public relations often trumps ideology, and in which perception is reality, "soft" power, which emerges from social-cultural sources, can reflect a country or society's strength or influence - and affect how other people think about and regard it - more effectively than the old-fashioned, dangerous, carry-a-big-stick approach.

So it is that Doraemon, a 22nd-century, robotic-cat character who made his debut in the late 1960s in comics form has been assigned by Komura with "making friends" for Japan internationally. Komura told him: "Please work hard to let people around the world learn more about Japan and encourage people to foster friendships with each other." Doraemon (or, more precisely, a human actor hidden inside a giant Doraemon costume) replied: "It's an honor to do such an important job. I'll work as hard as I can."

In terms of both celebrity status and popularity, in Japan and much of East Asia, Doraemon's may well be bigger than those of Mickey Mouse, Homer Simpson, Charlie Brown and Snoopy, SpongeBob SquarePants, Barney, Tweety Bird and Winnie the Pooh combined. Created by Fujiko F. Fujio, the nom de plume of the late Hiroshi Fujimoto, Doraemon has become a pop-culture phenomenon at home and abroad through animated-cartoon TV series, countless toys and trinkets, video games and movies. His licensed image has been used to promote all sorts of goods and services.

In the Doraemon stories, the clever kitty is sent back from the future to live with and help his youthful master, Nobita, a helpless nerd who routinely avails himself of his pet's special powers. Doraemon normally reaches into his tummy-drawer, which is full of magical gizmos, to find something to help his pal out of each new jam - often stirring up new problems in the process. Doraemon stories often pack an educational or moralistic punch, offering lessons about honesty, perseverance, loyalty or history. In Japan, they have been collected in nearly 50 volumes that, to date, have sold some 80 million copies. Doreamon comics have also been translated into dozens of languages from the original Japanese.

Now, Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs will dispatch a "human-sized likeness of Doraemon" that will "participate in events hosted by overseas embassies and other diplomatic establishments to help introduce Japanese society and culture" to foreign audiences. The Guardian's Tokyo-based correspondent reports: "Doraemon's charm offensive will begin with the screening of his hit film, Nobita's Dinosaur 2006, at Japanese diplomatic offices in several countries, including China, France and Spain." At this week's press conference in the Japanese capital, the "feline envoy - whose voice was provided by an actress hidden behind a sliding paper screen - promised to use his roving role to convey 'what ordinary Japanese people think, our lifestyles and what kind of future we want to build.'"

Reported by Edward M. Gomez of SFGate.com

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