Prez to attend Japanese emperor’s enthronement ceremony

• Imperial procession postponed

By Sandun A. Jayasekera

President Maithripala Sirisena left for Japan yesterday to attend the enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito. On an invitation extended by the Japanese Government, President Sirisena will join several world leaders for the ceremony today at State Hall of the Imperial  Palace in Tokyo. 

Following the ceremony, the new emperor will host a banquet for the Heads of State, Secretary General of the UN, representatives of the European Union, heads of foreign missions in Tokyo and several other VVIPs. 

Visiting dignitaries will join a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe tomorrow. 

After 30 years, former Emperor Akihito abdicated the chrysanthemum throne on April 30 this year, being the first Japanese emperor to do so since 1817. On May 1,Crown Prince Naruhito acceded to the throne as the 126th emperor of Japan. 

Enthronement of the emperor is an ancient ceremony that celebrates the accession of a new monarch to the chrysanthemum throne – the world’s oldest continuous hereditary monarchy. 
An imperial procession that had been scheduled for today following the enthronement ceremony was postponed by the Japanese Government to November 10 to focus on recovery efforts in areas affected by Typhoon Hagibis.