Rahm dumps Chicago blues and baseball treasures on Japanese dignitaries

A diplomatic dispatch

Rahm has been busy.

As the new U.S. Ambassador to Japan, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel offered gifts – an essential part of Japanese culture.

Since taking office in Tokyo, Rahm has brought gifts from a who’s who of Japanese leaders to a who’s who of Chicago royalty.

• Play ball! To Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, an avid baseball fan, Rahm gave personalized Cubs and White Sox jerseys emblazoned with the number 100 – honoring Kishida’s position as the nation’s 100th prime minister.

(The kicker? Rahm even asked the Cubs to put Kishida’s name in the spotlight on the famous marquee at Wrigley Field!)

• Yum! To Japan’s Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry, Kōichi Hagiuda, Rahm presented a cookbook autographed by star chef from Chicago, Rick Bayless.

• Wear them! Japanese national security adviser Akiba Takeo, whose daughter attends the University of Chicago, Rahm gave a Chicago Fire football jersey and a “University of Chicago Dad” shirt.

• Drink! To Japan’s Minister of State for Gender Equality, Seiko Noda, Rahm presented a bottle of Koval from the Chicago distillery.

• Strap ’em: Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, musician and avid Rock & Roll music lover, Rahm presented an autographed guitar strap and CD by Chicago Blues legend Buddy Guy.

Sneed hears Rahm’s boss, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, is also a huge music fan. Is a new guitar strap in Blinken’s future now that Hayashi bragged about Rahm’s gift to him?

Ah, international diplomacy… à la Chicago.

Provided