In a sea of dark-suited men and Group of 20 stalwarts, a bonding moment this weekend between two populist women stood out.
When Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi locked eyes with her Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni for the first time on Saturday at the G20 summit in Johannesburg, the enthusiasm on both sides was hard to miss.
Japanese broadcasters aired the moment Takaichi, 64, flung open her arms to greet her Italian counterpart, 48, calling out “Meloni!” before embracing her. Meloni, who has generally looked dour throughout the summit, clasped Takaichi’s hand and beamed as they chatted — while France’s Emmanuel Macron looked on in the background.
