DAVOS, Switzerland - Rock star Bono bowed and gave Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda an iPod at the start of a meeting Saturday to try to get more Japanese support for the fight against poverty in Africa.
The gift broke the ice as Fukuda sat down with Bono, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and other major supporters of more aid for Africa.
Fukuda asked the U2 frontman if his music was on the red recording device.
"No, but you can download it,'' said Bono. Fukuda replied that his son has some of Bono's music.
After the private meeting, Fukuda told government and business leaders at the World Economic Forum that African development would be one of the three major themes of the G-8 meeting he is hosting in Japan this July.
Proceeds from sales of the special-edition red iPod directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in Africa.
Earlier this week, Bill Gates said the Red-branded products have generated US$50 million for the fund in the last year and a half.