A Japanese colleague was the son of a famous industrialist and a geisha.

"As soon as our Japanese colleagues tell us what help they need, naturally, we will respond immediately."

"I haven't felt any special treatment from Japanese colleagues or friends," she said.

His Japanese colleagues, unaware of his private concerns, watched avidly.

Two American businessmen, accompanied by a pair of Japanese colleagues, were among the dozen or do customers.

He chuckled into his beard: 'A Japanese colleague gave them to me before the war, in the spring of 1939.

Nicole leaned across to her Japanese colleague and whispered in his ear.

"Nice going," Nicole said to her Japanese colleague very quietly.

Their respect for their Japanese colleagues was genuine and not affected by the current irregularities which, they all hoped, would soon pass.

Both Ms. Hughes and her Japanese colleagues, however, play down the move.