Enthronement of new Japanese emperor celebrated with a pledge to expand Pakistan-Japan ties

Enthronement of new Japanese emperor celebrated with a pledge to expand Pakistan-Japan ties

ISLAMABAD, May 3 (APP):The enthronement of new Japanese Emperor Naruhito was celebrated here in Pakistan, with a pledge to further expand the scope of bilateral relations between the two countries and explore new avenues of cooperation.

Ambassador of Japan to Pakistan Kuninori Matsuda hosted a reception to mark the festive occasion at his official residence; attended by a large number of guests.

Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information, Firdous Ashiq Awan, Deputy Chairman Senate Saleem Mandviwalla, Senator Dr Wasim Shahzad Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, former Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, parliamentarians were amongst the participants; besides senior government officials, and dignitaries from the public and private sector.

The guests, some of whom brought flowers, congratulated the government of Japan and its people on the enthronement. Emperor Akihito abdicated on April 30 and Crown Prince was enthroned as Emperor Naruhito on May 1.

A large cake was cut to celebrate the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito, and the traditional Pakistani sweet of “moti chur laddoos”, besides the traditional Japanese cuisines – Sushi were served.

Ambassador Kuninori Matsuda thanked the attendees for their warm wishes and said the Japanese royal family Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko were the first Japanese emperor and empress who visited Pakistan in 1962.

“They still talk about their visit very fondly and toured around Pakistan including Karachi, Peshawar and Lahore,” the ambassador said.

Ambassador Matsuda recalled Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s recent visit to Japan and said, Pakistan and Japan exchanged notes for two Japanese grant assistance; expansion of Pakistan Institute for Medical Sciences and provision of X-ray cargo scanners.

Qureshi during his visit also held talks with Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Aso and Foreign Minister Mr. Kono.

The era of Emperor Akihito’s reign was called Heisei which means achieving peace. On April 1 the Government of Japan announced the new era of Japan as “Reiwa” from May 1, and signifies order and harmony.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said the name of new era was selected by his government with the hope of making Japan a nation where every person can achieve dreams, like the plum flowers that bloom beautifully after a severe winter to signal the start of spring.

It is the first time an era name has been taken from an old anthology of Japanese literature, the Manyoshu, compiled more than 1,200 years ago.

The Imperial Household of Japan is the oldest existing lineage in the world, dating over 2000 years, since the foundation of the first Emperor Jimmu in 660 B.C. Today, under Japan’s postwar constitution, the Emperor is featured as a symbol of the nation, embodying the unity of its people.

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