奧巴馬東京演講迷倒日本人

Japan's Obama town ecstatic over presidential mention

US President Barack Obama charmed his Tokyo audience on Saturday with references to green tea ice cream, Japanese traditional hospitality and, of course, the small town that bears his name.

"I could not come here without sending my greetings and my gratitude to the citizens of Obama, Japan," said the president to the delight of the western Japan town that has turned its accidental fame into a cottage industry.

The ancient fishing town of 30,000, about 400 kilometres (250 miles) from Tokyo, has long supported its White House namesake, and some of its residents were in Tokyo to steal a glimpse of the president.

Wearing "I Love Obama" T-shirts, a small delegation braved rainy weather on a Tokyo sidewalk and waved as the presidential motorcade passed by.

"The president clearly looked at us and recognised us," said an excited Seiji Fujihara, who leads a dance troupe that on Friday performed a hula dance in honour of the president, who was born in Hawaii.

"I was so touched when President Obama mentioned our town," Fujihara gushed. "I felt goose bumps."

Obama in his speech Saturday recalled a childhood visit to Kamakura, a temple-studded town near Tokyo, where he "looked up at that centuries-old symbol of peace and tranquility, the great bronze Amida Buddha."

Then he quipped: "As a child, I was more focused on the matcha (green tea) ice cream. But I have never forgotten the warmth and hospitality that the Japanese people showed a young American far from home."

Obamania was alive and well among the audience -- where many hailed his personal charm and wide knowledge about the region.

"His voice was good. He spoke naturally. He has something that attracts people," said Yasuko Maki, a 60-year-old housewife.

Her husband, Akihiro, 66, agreed: "He covered every subject and explained how America will handle it. He intends to work as our partner. He is different from former US presidents."

上周六，美國總統(tǒng)巴拉克·奧巴馬在東京發(fā)表的演講讓他的日本聽眾們?yōu)橹畠A倒，奧巴馬在演講中提到綠茶冰激凌、日本人傳統(tǒng)的熱情與好客，當然，還有那個與他同名的小鎮(zhèn)。

奧巴馬說：“既然來到日本，就不能不向小濱（Obama）鎮(zhèn)的人們表達我的問候和感激之情。”這番話讓小濱鎮(zhèn)的人們欣喜若狂。這座位于日本西部的小鎮(zhèn)利用與奧巴馬同名的契機，已發(fā)展成為奧巴馬主題產(chǎn)業(yè)之鄉(xiāng)。

這個古老的漁鎮(zhèn)擁有3萬人口，距離東京大約400公里（250英里）。這個同名小鎮(zhèn)（自奧巴馬競選總統(tǒng)以來）就一直支持他，鎮(zhèn)上的有些居民還專程前往東京，只為一睹奧巴馬的風采。

當天，一個小型代表團身穿統(tǒng)一的帶有“我愛奧巴馬”字樣的T恤，冒雨站在東京的人行道上，向經(jīng)過的總統(tǒng)車隊揮手致意。

一個名叫藤原小澤的代表團成員激動地說：“總統(tǒng)明顯是在看我們并且認出了我們。”上周五，藤原小澤帶領(lǐng)的舞蹈團為出生于夏威夷的奧巴馬獻上了草裙舞表演。

藤原激動地說：“當總統(tǒng)提到我們小鎮(zhèn)的時候，我太感動了，感覺雞皮疙瘩都起來了。”

在上周六的演講中，奧巴馬回憶了他童年時期造訪位于東京附近的、擁有眾多寺廟的鐮倉鎮(zhèn)的經(jīng)歷，他在那兒“瞻仰象征和平和寧靜的百年青銅大佛”。

接著他打趣說：“當我還是孩子的時候，我更感興趣的是抹茶（綠茶）冰激凌。但我從未忘記日本人對一個遠離家鄉(xiāng)的美國孩子所表現(xiàn)出的熱情和好客。”

奧巴馬的演講讓他的日本聽眾們?yōu)橹畠A倒，很多人大贊他的個人魅力和對他對于日本的了解。

60歲的家庭主婦真木靖子的說：“他的聲音很好聽。說話很自然。他具有某種吸引人的魅力。”

她的丈夫，66歲的佐藤同意她的看法：“他的演講涉及了各個主題，并解釋了美國將如何應對。他想成為我們的合作伙伴，他和以前的美國總統(tǒng)不一樣。”