Rodrigo Duterte may have successfully cultivated something of a macho man image, riding motorcycles in a leather jacket and firing machine guns at shooting ranges, but when he spent a holiday in Japan a few years ago, the Philippine president showed a different side to his character. In 2013, Duterte spent New Year with his daughters at a ski resort in Nagano, Central Japan. He was seen having fun sledging with the girls, albeit looking slightly awkward in his winter gear. ilippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks at the site of a cemetery for Japanese immigrants in 2013 (Image: Nikkei) But besides revealing his rarely seen gentler side, the trip showed how Japan is a country that holds a special charm for the man known as the “Punisher.” Sources say that, shortly beforehand, his daughters had suggested going to the United States, but he insisted on showing them the snow and beauty of Japan. The family...
Join the Conversation