[TheZMan]

The flats likely kept her from soaring over her hosts.

[ClearCase_guy]

Tall, classy lady visits Japan and decides against heels. Because she’s classy.

[Fhios]

exactly. She was being deferential.

[llevrok]

The flats likely kept her from soaring over her hosts.

One of the biggest manners faux pas in Japan is causing some one to "lose face" (embarass them). Obviously, she showed good Japanese manners and did not want to upstage Mrs Abe

[piytar]

Bingo. It’s called class and consideration. Something the prior FLOTUS utterly lacked.

[Chode]

bingo... what Footwear Today knows about shoes is inversely proportional to what they know about class.

Slovenian American indeed, that's FIRST LADY to you you feckless frunt you