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Yamanouchi Kanji, Japan’s top ambassador in New York, seems an unlikely rock-and-roller. In a video that made the rounds on social media in July 2020, the grey-haired ambassador, dressed in a dark suit and sporting a red bow tie, stands between a Japanese and American flag as he cordially greets viewers. After a brief speech, he swaps his jacket for a Stratocaster and proceeds to hammer out a Jimi Hendrix–inspired rendition of the US national anthem, complete with whammy bar and heavy distortion.
The response was overwhelmingly positive. Within six days of its upload, it had amassed some 260,000 views on Facebook alone. Comments such as “So awesome!!! We love you Japan!!!!” and ”Sir, you are a superb musician! You give me hope in this dark world.” flowed in, and soon the video was trending across the globe.