President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih and First Lady Fazna Ahmed have attended the official enthronement ceremony of Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to Japan’s Chrysanthemum throne earlier this year following the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito.
Multitudes of heads of states and officials were in attendance at the Enthronement Ceremony alongside President Solih and the First Lady Fazna, including Prince Charles, the heir apparent to the British throne, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon. Heads of state and other dignitaries from more than 170 countries were present at the ceremony celebrating the beginning of the new emperor’s rule.
A change in the monarch of the imperial throne of Japan is a rare and special occasion, with the previous emperor having been crowned on January 7, 1989. Maldives was present at Emperor Akihito’s enthronement ceremony as well, with then-incumbent President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom attending the ceremony.
President Solih is currently on an official visit to Japan on the invitation of the Government of Japan to advance the bilateral relations and development cooperation between the two countries.
Furthermore, President Solih and First Lady Fazna have attended the Court Banquet held in honour of the visiting delegates attending the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito of Japan to the Chrysanthemum throne. The president conveyed congratulations and extended felicitations to Emperor Naruhito at the court banquet, held at the State Banquet Hall of the Imperial Palace.
The court banquet, or the Kyoen-no-Gi, was attended by foreign dignitaries and representatives of Japan’s executive, legislative and judicial branches, and their spouses. The function ended with entertainment by the Bugaku, a traditional Japanese court music accompanied by dancing at the Grand Hall.