President to take part in enthronement ceremony of Japanese emperor

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Philipines and Japan from October 17 during which he is slated to attend the enthronement ceremony of new Japanese Emperor Naruhito and unveil the bust of Mahatama Gandhi at the Center of peace education at a college in Manila. The objective of the visit is to expand bilateral cooperation with two Asian countries according to the Ministry of External Affairs.

It was also reported that the visit has been organised at the invitation of Philippines President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and will carry forward the high-level engagements between the two countries. Kovind will receive a ceremonial guard of honour at Malacanang Palace. The president will lay a wreath at a memorial of Jose Rizal, who is the national hero of the Philippines. The president will address the plenary meetings of Indo-Philippine business conclave and fourth ASEAN India business summit.

He will attend various ceremonies related to the Emperor Naruhito's enthronement and also take part in a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The ceremony will be attended by leaders from all parts of the world.

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President's schedule

President shall arrive in the Philippines on October 17 and in the five-day visit will hold both restricted and delegation-level talks with his Philippines counterpart Rodrigo Roa Duterte in Manila as well as taking part business and community events. The President shall be visiting the Philippines on the invitation of Duterte and on the occasion of 70 years since establishing the diplomatic relations between the two countries.  

Reports say President Ram Nath Kovind shall leave for Japan on October 21 to attend the enthronement ceremony of Japanese Emperor  Naruhito. During the three-day visit, the President shall attend a banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and take part in a community event. The 59-year-old Naruhito acceded to the throne on May 1 after his father Akihito abdicated it. Akihito is the first Japanese emperor to abdicate since Kokaku in 1817.

The President will also visit a Buddhist temple and plant a sampling from the sacred Bodhi tree in Gaya to show India and Japan's historic and cultural ties based on Buddhism.

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(With Inputs from ANI)