British Prime Minister Starmer invited Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi to visit Chequers.
She has turned down the invitation.
Unnamed government sources say it's because:
•her English is poor
•smoking is banned inside Chequers & she is a heavy smoker
A Nagatachō source, commenting on Takaichi's upcoming visit to the UK:
“If she stayed at Chequers, there would be more improvised exchanges in English - not only at the dinner, but also during informal stand-up interviews with local media and walks with Prime Minister Starmer. Perhaps the prime minister is afraid that her English ability will become visible. Also, public facilities in the UK, which is promoting anti-smoking policies at the national level, are generally completely non-smoking. For the prime minister, who is a smoker, that may also be an obstacle.”
Japanese Foreign Ministry sources expressed frustration at what they saw as an opportunity for Takaichi to become the 3rd Japanese Prime Minister to visit the official country residence of UK PMs:
“Although it is some distance from London, it can be reached in about an hour by car, and in the first place the invitation was already the expected course of events. The British Embassy provided considerable support for her meeting with Deep Purple, and yet this ‘rejection of the invitation’ is an act that humiliates them. Perhaps her close aides and secretaries are unable to advise her because they don’t want to be scolded by the prime minister.”
Post Seven speculates that this could hurt UK-Japan relations, but that's a stretch.

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