Hundreds of people who were invited to the White House to watch the arrival ceremony Tuesday morning for the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Tuesday turned away at the gates after waiting in line for more than an hour on a cool morning.
Those who did not make it to the South Lawn for the 9 a.m. event had already gone through a background check. They included children, members of the military and media, federal employees and those who work at non-governmental organizations. Some had traveled to Washington from other states.
The gates were scheduled to open at 7 a.m., according to an invitation. But some who made it into the event said they arrived as early as 6 a.m. The line to get into the White House stretched for more than four blocks, where U.S. and Japanese flags flew.
White House staffers did not provide a reason for closing the gates, though they did thank people for visiting the White House. (Of course, none of them had actually gotten into White House grounds).
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Abe arrives for talks with President Barack Obama that are likely to include Japan’s new defense guidelines, as well as Obama’s efforts to strike a trade deal that would send more cars and more farm goods to Japan. The two will hold a press conference.
State visits have not exactly been common during President Barack’s Obama administration.
Abe and his wife, Akie, will attend the Obama’s eighth state dinner at the White House Tuesday night and will be toasted with Dassai 23, Asahi Shuzo’s signature sake. Guests will dine on a salad of sashimi salad, soup that includes bok choy from the First Lady’s garden, paired with bamboo shoots from Hawaii - the president’s home state.