Japan's Prime Minister Dressed As 'Super Mario' At Rio Closing Ceremony

Shinzo Abe nailed it.
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Article originally published 22/08/2016: due to a technical issue this article may have resurfaced for some readers, and the original publish date may not have been visible.

In what could be the greatest Olympic handover of all time, Japan’s prime minister appeared at the Rio closing ceremony dressed as Super Mario to mark Tokyo hosting the Games in four years’ time

In a move that suggests an Olympics in Japan will be amazing, Shinzo Abe emerged from a huge green pipe in the Maracana stadium wearing a Mario hat.

Stoyan Nenov / Reuters
ASSOCIATED PRESS

The premise went something like this.

A video showed Japan’s PM announcing he wouldn’t make it to Rio in time. Abe then turns into the animated Japanese-created Italian plumber Mario, who uses the pipe as a shortcut. Of course.

”Super Mario” then drops the disguise to reveal Japan’s most prominent elected official.

He is holding a red ball to mark the sun at the centre of the countries flag.

Marcos Brindicci / Reuters

Most people thought this bodes well for 2020.

Tokyo 2020 will be sick with Mario as Japan's PM 👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/n4H33MaX2m

— Genie Bouchard (@geniebouchard) August 22, 2016

Japan's Prime Mister arriving to the Rio Olympics as Super Mario! I like the looks of the next Olympics. #tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/12thVUZzLR

— Taylor Jones (@TJ) August 22, 2016

WOWOWOWOWO. Japanese prime minister popping out of a Mario warp tube might be the best Olympic moment ever

— KFC (@KFCBarstool) August 22, 2016

Tokyo 2020 is going to be lit. RT @dnadders: The Prime Minister of Japan is actually Mario. #WhoKnew pic.twitter.com/QnBVBU7K0E

— Christopher Jaques (@Cjaques4) August 22, 2016

Super Mario Brothers was developed by Japanese game designers Shigeru Miyamoto, Koji Kondo, Hiroshi Yamauchi and Takashi Tezuka, and has been Japanese firm Nintendo’s greatest, most enduring and profitable creation.

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