National Sports

A morning surprise for Japan: The prime minister as Super Mario

TOKYO — Everyone knew that Shinzo Abe, the prime minister of Japan, was headed to Rio to represent the country that will host the 2020 Summer Olympics. But viewers who tuned into the broadcast of Rio's closing ceremony on Monday morning Japan time were surprised to see their normally sober leader pop out of an oversized green drainpipe dressed as Super Mario, the character from the popular Nintendo video game.

Abe's appearance followed a glossy promotional video showing athletes in stereotypical scenes from Tokyo, as well as various characters from popular culture, including Hello Kitty and Doraemon. The scene cut to Abe in a taxi, fretting that he wouldn't make it to Rio on time, followed by an animated Super Mario diving into a green pipe in Tokyo, emerging as a human figure from the green pipe on the field in Rio de Janeiro. When his costume fell off, the prime minister emerged, holding a red ball and waving a red cap, a shadow of a smile on his face.

Reaction on social media in Japan was swift and amused, with "Abe Mario" the top trending topic on Twitter.

One user, @kirifurikogen, said: "Wow, I thought a middle-aged uncle cosplaying as Mario was going to come out in the middle of the live closing ceremony at the Rio games. But that's PM Abe!"

In a note of wry political humor, one tweet referred to Abe's nationalist leanings, including a long-running controversy over Yasukuni, the large shrine in central Tokyo that honors the nation's war dead, including convicted war criminals. When political leaders visit the shrine, they draw strong reactions from China and South Korea. Abe has only visited the shrine once during his time as prime minister.

"The prime minister managed not to make a mistake," wrote @sazanami_kyodai, adding a picture of three drainpipes, labeled the prime minister's office, Yasukuni and Rio.

The promotional video and Olympic performance were developed by the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. An outline of the performance was given to reporters covering the Rio Games in advance, but it only mentioned "a surprise guest from Japan!"

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With Super Mario featured in the Tokyo 2020 promotion, even Nintendo's stock seemed to get a boost, rising more than 3 percent in Tokyo trading.

"I hate to admit it, but I feel soothed by Abe Mario," the user @shimizu111485 wrote.

Others, such as @tokyo_satokei, did not find his appearance so reassuring.

"Never expected Abe Mario by PM Abe. He appeared as Mario out of a drain pipe. 'Warp Zone from Tokyo to Rio,' but it reminded me of a meltdown. Hot nuclear fuel from the nuclear accident fell into the ground and reached the other side of the earth… Rio Syndrome."

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