Japanese ambassador's seagull selfie takes flight

Daniel EssonLocal Democracy Reporting Service
News imageHiroshi Suzuki Hiroshi Suzuki is wearing a stripy blue shirt, and has his arms outstretched as if mimicking a bird. He is smiling and there is massive sculpture of a white seagull with a yellow beak directly behind him.Hiroshi Suzuki
Hiroshi Suzuki posted images on social media of his visit to Folkestone

The Japanese ambassador to the UK posed with a giant seagull statue during a visit to a coastal town in Kent.

Hiroshi Suzuki, who has been the ambassador since September 2024, joined visitors in Folkestone during the recent hot weather.

The diplomat has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on social media site X, where he posted images from his visit on Tuesday.

His post, also featuring images of him at Folkestone Harbour Station, has been viewed more than 200,000 times.

The seagull statue was commissioned in 2008 for the Folkestone Triennial arts event, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

It is usually located at the harbour area but often "nests" elsewhere for events, Creative Folkestone said.

The ambassador has previously gone viral for singing the Welsh national anthem and for calling the traditional stew from Liverpool to be "boss scran".

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