President Arif Alvi reaches Japan on five-day visit

TOKYO: President Dr Arif Alvi has arrived in Japan on a five-day visit on the invitation of the Tokyo government where he will attend enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito, Radio Pakistan reported on Sunday.

The Foreign Office spokesman Dr Faisal had announced earlier that President Arif Alvi is paying the visit on the invitation of the Government of Japan to attend the ceremony of Emperor Naruhito’s ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

He added that the event will also be attended by a number of international leaders. The president is also scheduled to hold meetings with the political leadership of Japan during his five-day official visit.

Pakistan and Japan are long-standing friends. The cooperative bilateral relations have been on an upward trajectory, with a huge potential to enhance mutually beneficial cooperation in diverse areas such as economic, commercial, investment, IT, agriculture, human resource development and tourism.

Japan’s new emperor

Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito will formally proclaim his ascension to the throne in a ritual-bound ceremony, but the after-effects of deadly typhoon will cast a shadow over proceedings.

Naruhito officially assumed his duties as emperor on May 1, a day after his father became the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years, AFP reported.

But the transition will not be complete until his new role is officially proclaimed on Tuesday, in a series of events expected to be attended by foreign dignitaries from nearly 200 countries.