Now I present to you...

Ambassador Hello Kitty. My sensei, a Hello Kitty fan (Kitty-chan as she calls her), told me and my Japanese classes that Hello Kitty was appointed as a cultural ambassador for Japan (nihongo). Dressed in a kimono, with an sash that I can only guess that says her title, she got a document from the officials from the Youkoso! Japan (Welcome to Japan) campaign and listing her brand new duties. Sure, she is one of the icons of Japan I have remembered through out my entire youth, even more so than anime. Hell, I sometimes think Kitty-chan has been alive longer than I have been alive. This ain't the first (and now, won't be the last) time an animated character has become an ambassador for Japan. Not too long ago, Doremon was selected as Japan's anime ambassador. Sorry I don't have the investiture ceremony photo up yet, too arsed to deal with photoshop and finals.