Japan prime minister's flamboyant style goes further than ever before _ inspiring copies
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama likes to wear flamboyant clothes. But his latest quirky shirt has gone further than any before — inspiring a copy that went on sale Wednesday for $500 apiece.
The replica is yellow on one arm, blue on the other, red in front and checkered all over. Hatoyama's original, worn at a recent barbecue, drew mention in the media as an example of odd taste.
Yet a shirt-by-order startup hopes the multicolored item will catch on, selling it online under the heading "Prime Minister of Japan & Fashion Hero."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"The Hatoyama Shirt" is not the prime minister's first eye-opening attire. Hatoyama's past fashion picks include a shirt speckled with hearts, Hawaiian-style shirts and colorfully striped ones.
The co-founders of Shanghai-based ShirtsMyWay.com think the shirt shows a free spirit, even courage, that is needed in global leadership.
"He is showing individuality and creativity," co-founder Michael Yang told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "We are not making fun of Yukio Hatoyama. We are supporting him."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lately, few Japanese are supporting him, at least on the political front, largely because he has reneged on campaign pledges, including a promise to remove a U.S. military base off the southern island of Okinawa.
Peter Crawfurd, the other co-founder, thinks President Barack Obama's attire pales in comparison to Hatoyama's. The Hatoyama shirt is a "limited edition," with only 50 available in the first round of orders. If demand is strong, it will be offered again.
"It definitely stands out," Crawfurd said.
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On the Net: http://www.shirtsmyway.com