16. Thatcher Refused The Protection Of 20 Karate Experts During A Visit To Japan In 1979
In June 1979, just a year after assuming office, Thatcher visited Japan for the Tokyo Economic Summit. Due to her extremely short stint as premier at that point and the fact she was the first-ever female British Prime Minister, the Japanese government thought Thatcher should be given extra protection - and so organised a personal security force for her of 20 female karate experts. These so-called "karate ladies" were supposed to follow Thatcher around and give her extra protection on top of her security detail, but the British Prime Minister refused, believing she should be treated as an equal of any other state leader and, if no-one else was receiving these martial-art experts, she didn't want them either.