NAMES IN THE NEWS : Sting Gets Japanese Pat on Back
British rock singer Sting received moral support but no money from the Japanese government today in his crusade to preserve the Amazon rain forests.
Sting had asked for $3.5 million for his Brazilian Rain Forest Foundation but Environmental Minister Masahisa Aoki failed to whip out his checkbook. A ministry official explained it by saying, “Meeting with Sting and having a picture taken is not bad for Japan’s image as a country concerned for the environment . . . but the minister did not mean to imply that he would give financial support to the foundation.”
Belgian photojournalist Jean-Pierre Dutilleux, who has made documentaries on the rain forests and is traveling with Sting, said at a news conference that Norway, Spain, Britain and Holland had agreed to donate money to the project when Sting visited those countries.
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