DHAKA: Bangladesh President M Abdul Hamid reached Tokyo this morning to attend the new emperor’s enthronement ceremony.

A flight (SQ 646) of Singapore Airlines carrying the President and his entourage members landed at the Haneda International Airport in Tokyo at 6:31 am (local time).

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Rabab Fatima and Special Assistant to Japanese Foreign Minister Kenjiro Monja received the President at the airport.

The aircraft earlier left Changi International Airport of Singapore for Tokyo at 10:50 pm on October 20, after the President made over three hours stopover there.

President’s spouse Rashida Khanam, his son Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, MP, Mohammad Afzal Hossain, MP, and concerned officials to Bangabhaban and foreign ministry are accompanying him during the tour.

President will visit Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line (the Trans-Tokyo Bay Highway) this afternoon. He will also attend a dinner to be hosted by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan in Bangladesh House at the Bangladesh embassy.

President Hamid will join the Ceremony of Enthronement of new Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the State Hall of Imperial Place at 1:30 pm (local time) on Tuesday (Oct 22).

Japanese Emperor is set to proclaim his enthronement in a centuries-old ceremony to be attended by some 2,000 people, including heads of the states and other dignitaries from more than 170 countries, according to media reports.

Emperor Naruhito, 59, acceded to the throne in May after his father,
Akihito, became the first monarch to abdicate in two centuries. He is the 126th monarch according to Japan’s traditional order of succession.

President Abdul Hamid is expected to return home on October 27.

BDST: 1141 HRS, OCT 21, 2019
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