The first lady steps out. Japan’s prime minister Shinzo Abe has a secret weapon: his wife. But is Japan really ready for her?? By Christian Caryl and Akiko Kashiwagi The White House has boasted its share of charismatic First Ladies; think Eleanor Roosevelt or Jackie Kennedy. But Japan has never seen the like – at least before last September, when Shinzo Abe became prime minister and unleashed his charming spouse on the nation. In previous eras, the main job of a political wife was to look pleasant and stay a respectful three steps behind her man. Trying out new flower arrangements was as edgy as it got. But Akie Abe is cut from a whole new cloth. She’s got something to say and she’s not afraid to say it – whether in a foreign language, in her own refined Japanese or on her blog. “I don’t think I’m especially open”, she said recently in an exclusive newsweek interview. “But because I’m relatively young prime minister’s wife, that has given me a lot of exposure in the media, so some people may see me like that.” In a country where all public figures tend to sidestep delicate topics, Mrs. Abe, 44, approaches them head on. Some commentators speculate that it’s part of a strategy to raise the profile of her husband – an archconservative blue blood who’s trying to convince a skeptical public of his reformist credentials. Whatever the motive or the risk – some see a backlash brewing – Mrs. Abe is making it work so far, creating a new style that Japan has never seen before. (…) (Newsweek, Feb 5, 2007.) De acordo com o texto, a primeira dama do Japão