World leaders dolls at UN conference in Sendai

PHOTO: Leaders to be greeted by miniature doubles at U.N. conference in Sendai

March 7, 2015

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201503070025

By AKIKO NAGASHIMA/ Staff Writer

SENDAI--Local craftsmen have created Japanese wooden dolls resembling world leaders who were invited to attend the U.N. World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction here from March 14.

The dolls, a traditional craft item of the Tohoku region, are the work of Takenao Sato, a craftsman who operates out of the Akiu Craft Park in Sendai.

Sato created about 200 of the handmade figures, then had artists from Miyagi Prefecture paint them to resemble various leaders, including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, both of whom will be attending the conference.

Kokeshi dolls were also made of leaders who will not be visiting Sendai, including U.S. President Barack Obama.

All U.N. members will be represented at a doll display to be open March 9-19 at the S-Pal Sendai commercial facility, an annex of JR Sendai Station.