TOKYO - A welcome ceremony was held Wednesday at the Imperial Palace for Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and his wife Louise Araneta-Marcos, who are visiting Japan as state guests.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako welcomed the couple at the event, which was also attended by Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko as well as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The four-day state visit, which coincides with the 70th anniversary year of the normalization of ties, is the first since Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife traveled to Japan in March 2025.
The ceremony took place in the palace's East Gardens, where the national anthems of both countries were played and Marcos received an honor guard salute from the Self-Defense Forces ceremonial unit.
The emperor and empress then met with the presidential couple for around 20 minutes in the palace's Take no Ma stateroom.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, Marcos noted that bilateral ties had developed remarkably across many fields, with many Filipinos working in Japan as nurses and in other professions.
The emperor responded by expressing his gratitude for their significant contribution to Japan, the agency said.
A state banquet hosted by the imperial couple will be held in the evening. Prince Hisahito, the 19-year-old son of the crown prince and princess, is expected to attend the banquet for the first time, following his coming-of-age ceremony last year.
