Jerusalem: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe who visited Israel recently was served dessert in a shoe made of metal at a dinner hosted at the official residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Both the prime ministers’ wives were also present on the occasion.
It must be noted that shoe has an especially offensive connotation in Japan. Terming it as a stupid and insensitive decision, a senior Israeli diplomat who served in Japan told “There is nothing more despised in Japanese culture than shoes,” the diplomat said. “Not only do they not enter their houses while wearing shoes, you will not find shoes in their offices either. Even the prime minister, ministers and members of parliament do not wear shoes to work … It is equivalent to serving a Jewish guest chocolates in a dish shaped like a pig.” The Jerusalem Post quoted her with reference to the Hebrew-language newspaper Yedioth Aharonot.
A Japanese diplomat told Yedioth Aharonot “No culture puts shoes on the table,” he added “What precisely was this illustrious chef Segev thinking? If this is meant to be humour, we do not find it funny. I can tell you that we are offended for our prime minister.”
Israeli celebrity chef Segev Moshe who is also the personal chef of prime minister had prepared the dinner.