Politics PM Ishiba faces backlash for 'poor etiquette' at APEC summit

PM Ishiba has come under fire in Japan for his "poor manners" after a video from the APEC forum summit in Peru surfaced online. The footage shows Ishiba seated and using his smartphone as leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim, approached him. While Ishiba looked up to shake hands, he remained seated throughout the interactions, prompting criticism.

"So embarrassing," posted one social media user in Japanese, while another said, "It's not even about being prime minister. His attitude is unthinkable for an adult." The prime minister was also accused of rudeness after other footage showed him watching a dance at the welcome ceremony for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum summit with his arms crossed.

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The absence of Ishiba in a group photo at a summit gathering due to a traffic jam, his perceived bad manners in greeting foreign leaders and a missed opportunity to secure an in-person meeting with Donald Trump, who is set to lead the United States, Japan's closest ally, all added to his gloom.

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