Japan PM Gifts Keir Starmer Japanese Cat Goods For 10 Downing Street’s ‘Chief Mouser’ Larry

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi struck a personal and playful note during British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s visit to Tokyo, sharing that she had gifted him a collection of Japanese cat-themed items for the UK leader and the famed feline resident of 10 Downing Street.

“At the UK Prime Minister’s residence, it seems that a cat named ‘Larry’ has long held the official title of ‘Chief Mouser’,” Takaichi wrote in a post after the meeting on Saturday.

“Keir is very fond of cats and is said to keep two more cats besides Larry. This time, I presented Keir with a collection of various Japanese cat goods. I hope that even while spending time with his beloved cats, he will feel Japan close to him.”

The lighter moment came amid a high-level visit

focused on strengthening defence, security, and economic ties between Japan and the United Kingdom, with both sides agreeing to deepen cooperation across the Indo-Pacific and Euro-Atlantic regions.

The gesture follows a series of personal, headline-grabbing moments under Takaichi, from singing “Happy Birthday” to Italy’s Giorgia Meloni to playing the drums alongside South Korean President Lee Jae Myung during his visit to Japan.

Starmer was in Tokyo after a multi-day visit to China, as Britain and Japan seek closer coordination on supply chains, defence manufacturing, and regional security.

Who Is Larry?

The gift, however, centred attention on an unlikely diplomatic fixture: Larry the Cat. Appointed Chief Mouser in 2011, Larry has outlasted multiple prime ministers and become a familiar symbol of continuity at Downing Street, often photographed lounging outside the famous black door or sparring with rival Whitehall cats. His official title, maintained by the UK government, has turned him into a minor celebrity and a soft-power curiosity in his own right.

When Diplomacy Turns Personal

The cat-themed gesture also fits into a broader pattern that has come to define Takaichi’s diplomatic style in recent weeks, where symbolism and personal warmth have played a visible role.

On January 16, during talks in Tokyo with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Takaichi surprised her counterpart by singing “Happy Birthday” in Italian and presenting her with a cake to mark her 49th birthday. The moment, captured on video by the Japanese Prime Minister’s Office, showed the two leaders embracing and addressing each other by their first names.

Just days earlier, on January 13, Takaichi also shared the spotlight with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in a moment that quickly went viral. The two leaders played a drum duet to K-pop hits during Lee’s visit to Japan, a nod to Takaichi’s past as a drummer and to warming ties between Tokyo and Seoul after years of strain. The performance ended with an exchange of signed drumsticks and widespread praise on social media.