Japanese Minister Gifts Squirtle Plushie To New Chilean President
In a heartwarming show of international diplomacy crossing over with gaming, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Kiyoshi Odawara presented the Chilean president-elect Gabriel Boric with a stuffed toy of the Pokémon Squirtle. As Japan is the home of Nintendo, the creator of the worldwide hit video game, trading card, and anime series Pokémon, this gift was seen as one of Japanese culture to a proud ally.
Pokémon may have originated in Japan, but there is no question that in the decades since the release of the original Pokémon Red & Blue, the franchise has become a true international phenomenon. When Nintendo and Game Freak revealed the next installment in the Pokémon series last week, Pokémon Scarlet & Violet, many players began to theorize that the new region might be based on the European country of Spain. The architecture and styling of buildings was one big clue, but eagle-eyed viewers also spied several prominent Spanish landmarks (or at least their counterparts in the world of Pokémon) such as Barcelona's La Sagrada Famìlia and Placa de Cataluña. But the international effect of Pokémon isn't just limited to influences on the games themselves.
Related: Pokémon Scarlet & Violet: Classic Mechanics Gen 9 Should Bring Back
Twitter user duplakappa posted a picture of the Japanese Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and the newly-elected president of Chile together showing off a Squirtle plushie that had been gifted to the Chilean president (via Reutir). The two met as part of a customary ceremony where the incoming president of Chile receives foreign representatives. This adorable exchange caught the attention of Pokémon fans across the world, with some voters in Chile even expressing disbelief at Boric's
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