Dress down and save energy, Japan's Abe tells Merkel

TOKYO, Aug 29 (Reuters) German chancellor Angela Merkel is familiar with Cold War diplomacy, but today she had her first encounter with Cool Biz diplomacy.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who met Merkel in Tokyo to discuss climate change, told the chancellor he had asked his entourage to take off their ties as part of his ''Cool Biz'' campaign to save energy.

Dressed in a red suit, Merkel, Germany's first female chancellor, who grew up in the communist east, pointed out that the tie-less dress code didn't apply to her anyway.

''The men are all following the rule, they even seem to be quite glad,'' she said.

Japan's ''Cool Biz'' campaign urges office workers and politicians to shed their jackets and ties during summer to cut the use of air-conditioners and reduce electricity use and related greenhouse gas emissions.

REUTERS SS PM1558