19/07/2010 and 20/07/2010 // Social business meets the Royal Family

Yesterday Prof. Yunus returned to Tokyo meeting among others Japan's celebrity football player Hidetoshi Nakata who is known for his social engagement. Certainly one of the highlights of Prof. Yunus's journey to Japan was today's appointment with the Royal Family. Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako extended their thirty minutes gathering to over an hour, being fascinated by Yunus' idea of social business. Also recently elected Prime Minister Naoto Kan who started his career as an environmental campaigner blocked his schedule to exchange thoughts on the possibilities of social businesses with the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Yunus met also Yasuo Hayashi, president of JETRO, the Japan External Trade Organization who is already supporting the Grameen Technology Lab located in Japan.