The Japanese Emperor and his wife are undergoing their first official trip overseas since his accession to the throne.
Emperor Naruhito, 63 and Empress Masako, 59, are currently the guests of Indonesian President Joko Widodo and first lady Iriana at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java.
The imperial couple are on day three of a seven-day visit aiming to reinforce the bound between the two countries, and have enjoyed several engagements around Indonesia since their arrival on June 17.
Today, they planted a tree in the Botanical Garden of the presidential palace.
The imperial couple and their hosts also visited the rail yard of Mass Rapid Transit in Jakarta as Naruhito and Masako learned more about the Indonesian transport system.
Emperor Naruhito, 63 and Empress Masako, 59, right, are currently the guests of Indonesian President Joko Widodo and first lady Iriana at the Presidential Palace in Bogor, West Java
The two couples planted a tree in the garden to mark Japan’s imperial couple’s visit to Indonesia
The Emperor and his wife looked in good spirits as they began the third day of their visit.
They were welcomed at the presidential palace in Bogor by a guard of honour.
There, their first stop was the palace’s luscious botanical garden, where the Japanese imperial couple admired the different types of plants on display.
The Japanese Empress looked very stylish for her day out, sporting a light blue midi skirt with a matching blazer and hat bordered with white, plus white accessories and a pearl necklace.
The elegant number matched her husband’s blue tie with perfect attention to detail.
Meanwhile, the Indonesian first lady looked elegant in a delicate pink embroidered shawl over a iridescent skirt and vest.
In spite of their fineries, both ladies joined forces to plant a new tree in the garden while their two husbands watched with glee.
‘I feel very honored because Indonesia is the first destination for the Japanese emperor’s bilateral state visit abroad,’ Widodo said.
Naruhito and President Widodo poured some water on the young stems during the planting ceremony
The Japanese Emperor looked elegant in a pale blue ensemble she matched with a lacy white top and pearls
Naruhito is seeking to underline the friendship between Japan and Indonesia during his weeklong visit, and officials said the two leaders would talk about cooperation between the countries.
The emperor arrived in the capital Saturday and visited some places in the city, including a station of the Jakarta MRT, which is Indonesia’s first subway line and was financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
Naruhito planned to visit Indonesia’s heroes cemetery in Jakarta on Tuesday.
For Wednesday, he has scheduled a trip to Yogyakarta, a city also on the island of Java that is the center of Javanese culture and a seat of royal dynasties going back centuries. He plans to go on Thursday to the Borobudur temple, the world’s largest Buddhist temple.
The Japanese emperor was welcomed by a guard of honour as he arrived at the presidential palace
The Indonesian President took the wheel and drove his wife and his guests around the palace’s property
Both couples seemed in great spirits as they met at the palace and stood on its balcony on day three of the Japanese visit
Naruhito said before leaving Japan that cooperation with developing countries is key to dealing with global challenges such as climate change, energy and food.
His trip comes as Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations mark 50 years of friendship this year, when Indonesia is serving as the ASEAN chair.
Japan is increasingly seeking to deepen ties with developing nations in tackling regional and global challenges. Japan is the largest provider of official development assistance to Indonesia, according to Japan’s Foreign Ministry.
Naruhito, 63, is Japan’s first emperor born after World War II, which was fought in the name of his grandfather, Emperor Hirohito.
On Sunday, the Emperor visited the rail yard of Mass Rapid Transit Jakarta, which was partially funded by Japan
The Japanese Empress looked elegant in blue, while the Indonesian first lady opted for a stylish shade of salmon pink
Japanese troops occupied Indonesia, then the Dutch East Indies colony, from 1942 until Tokyo surrendered in August 1945.
It is believed that the trip to Indonesia is the Emperor’s first official foreign tour since his accession to the throne in 2019.
Last September, he was among the foreign heads of state who attended the late Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in London.
However, due to protocol, the Emperor does not attend other heads of state Coronations, and sent Crown Prince Akishino to attend King Charles’ accession to the throne on his behalf in May.
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