She was quoted as commenting, 'It's not easy being a Muslim woman president.' As Dewi was the youngest of Sukarno's nine wives and a foreigner, she had virtually nothing to do with raising Megawati. She was helped by the continuing popularity of her father who was ot tained by the years of military rule. She became the first female president of the country. After the fall of military rule, Dewi's stepdaughter, Megawati, became politically active. Unlike Dewi, Sukarno's other wives stayed in Indonesia. With nine wives, it must have been a little complicated. We have no details about Sukarno's family life. Indinesians nationalits cooperated with the Japanese despite the fact hat some 5 million Indonesians perished as a result of a famine caused by he Japanese.

It would have been politically impossible for a prominent politician at the time in China, Korea, Philippines, Taiwan, or most other countries occupied by Japan to marry a Japanese woman as result of the barbarous conduct of the Japanese military. The marriage is of some political significance. She converted to Islam, and Sukarno gave her the Indonesian name Ratna Sari Dewi Soekarno 'the jewel essence of a goddess'. Polygamy is allowed for men by Islam-although nive wives was unusual by the 20th century. Sukarno at the time was president of Indonesia. On a state visit to Japan he met a beautiful 19-year old art student at the Ginza hostess bar in Tokyo, near the Imperial Hotel - Naoko Nemoto (1959). Unlike some left-wing nationalist leaders, Sukarno was no aestetic. Indonesia's first indepdent president, Sukarmo, was a popular national hero. She was quoted as commenting, 'It's not easy being a Muslim woman president.' Dewi has been involved in several high-profile incidents. She has been sympathetic toward the plight of refugees as well as people living under desptic regimes like North Korea. She has supported the work of the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP). Even before her husban's ouster, Dewi has had little involvement in Indonesian politics. Her home is notable for her collection of memorabilia. Her rise as a sucessful business woman is believed to have been fuled by money Sukarmo spirited oit if the coynrry before his ouster. Dewi became known as a Japanese businesswoman, socialite, television personality, and philanthropist. She established a residence in Shibuya, Tokyo. She eventually gravitated toward her native Japan. She lived in several different countries, including Switzerland, France, and the United States and traveled wudely, in part because of her business activities. It is not clear as to the details, but Sukarno no longer had access to huge sums of graft money. Dewi Sukarno had moved to Europe after Sukarno's ouster. The Army was aware of his involvement and Sukarno was overthrown by General Suharto (1967). Suharto tried to distance himself from the failed 1965 Communist Party of Indonesaia (PKI) coup. Dewi after leaving Indonesia became a sucesful businesswoman, socialite, television personality, and philanthropist. The little Japanese boy suggests it was taken in Japan. We are guessing that the girl is her daughter Katarina/Carina. She is holding a little girl at what looks like her birthday party.

Indonesian Biography: Dewi Sukarno (1940- )ДЇigure 1.-Here we see Dewi Sukarno, one of the wives of the former president of indonesia.

Ratna sari dewi soekarno