He did his best, but Arnold the would-be statesman could not quite shake off Arnie the film star.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, the governor of California, and a 57-strong entourage of business leaders flew into Tokyo earlier this week. He was, commentators noted, the first visiting politician to be greeted at the airport by crowds of screaming, camera-wielding fans.
He was at pains to point out that this was a tour to promote California, but the Terminator struggled to get the message through.
Japan is familiar territory for Schwarzenegger, where he is known by the affectionate nickname Shuwa-chan.
Even the prime minister, Junichiro Koizumi — another star turned politician — appeared a little awestruck when the two met on Friday.
”You’re very popular,” Schwarzenegger told Koizumi, who was until recently the most popular Japanese prime minister in living memory.
”You too,” Koizumi replied. ”More popular than Bush.”
Schwarzenegger quickly made light of the comment. ”He’s very funny, very complimentary always,” he said. ”He still thought I looked like a Mr Universe, which I’m not.”
Schwarzenegger has made numerous visits to Japan to promote his films and has earned millions of dollars endorsing everything from beer to instant noodles and pep drinks on Japanese television.
This time he was courting business leaders: Japan is California’s largest foreign investor, and the second-biggest destination for its exports after Mexico.
To that end, his five-day visit, which ends today, was choreographed with all the precision of one of his more hair-raising scenes on the Hollywood set.
Schwarzenegger’s associates have made no secret of his ambition, and sections of the United tatesS press have billed the trip as his first chance since being elected governor to display his credentials as a statesman, with a view to running for the White House in 2008.
There was no repeat, for example, of the gaffe on a previous trip when his forgetfulness forced the resignation of a senior politician.
On that occasion Schwarzenegger arrived without his passport, but was waved through by the justice minister, Shozaburo Nakamura, who later said: ”If I hadn’t allowed him in, I would have been killed by my wife and daughter.”
The minister sealed his own downfall by pocketing Schwarzenegger’s immigration application form as a memento.
On this visit, Schwarzenegger’s chief target was Toyota’s president, Fujio Cho, whose company is considering manufacturing its popular Prius hybrid car in the US.
Many analysts say the deal will fail because of the state’s high operating costs and unionised labour.
But the governor was determined to return home with something to show the voters, even if that did mean revisiting his previous life.
He offered to appear in another advert and to use the millions of dollars he made to revive California’s trade and tourism office in Tokyo, which closed down last year amid accusations of financial irregularities.
The governor might have hoped for less of a showbiz approach in an interview on one of Japan’s serious evening news programmes.
But having questioned the governor on the economy and the war in Iraq, the broadcaster, Tetsuya Chikushi, had one more request.
Arnie was happy to oblige, looking straight into the camera and saying: ”I’ll be back.” – Guardian Unlimited Â