It was only the Ambassador's temporary residence...

Had a nice evening at the Embassy, conveniently located (if you're a member of the Imperial family) right next to the Imperial palace. The scale of the Ambassador's temporary residence left us wondering what on earth his normal residence, currently being refurbished, could be like. The G&Ts flowed freely, along with 'fish and chips' and other canapes. Amusement was provided by a Japanese civil servant from the Defence Agency (maybe soon to become a Ministry...) who seemed to be suggesting that Japan's international role should be to destabilise China, causing its collapse, and then 'help with restructuring'. Hmmm... Also, it's always interesting to note how frequently diplomats manage to be part of a conversation without actually contributing any kind of opinion. All part and parcel of the service I suppose!