Japanese Ambassador in Saudi Under Fire Over a Tweet

A tweet posted by Japan's ambassador to Saudi Arabia has stirred mixed reactions online when he asked a question related to Saudi traditions.

Ambassador Iwai Fumio, whose social media posts are written fully in Arabic in an attempt to enhance communication with Saudis online, posted a tweet asking followers about the absence of the bride's name from a wedding invitation he received from a Saudi friend.

Translation: "Recently, I attended the wedding of the son of my old Saudi friend and noticed that the name of the bride was not mentioned on the invitation. Is this a tradition or does this change from one family to another?"

The Japanese diplomat's tweet asked whether this was a personal choice or if it is a more common cultural tradition. However, many Saudi commentators deemed the question as offensive and called on Iwai Fumio to "show respect for their culture."

Meanwhile, some Saudi users showed understanding of the diplomat's question and tried to explain the cultural background behind the habit that originated in conservative communities in the Middle East where the norm was to hide women's names.

They also stressed that this habit is increasingly changing as younger generations in the country are more embracing of women in Arab communities.

Translation: "Good morning. I realized as a result of this controversy that my understanding of your community is still incomplete and it also taught me that an innocent question on social media could sometimes lead to undesired results. The proverb says; "O stranger, be polite" and I finally understand what that means."

In response, the Japanese Ambassador tweeted again that this incident was an opportunity for him to realize how much he still has to learn about the Saudi community.