Emperor Akihito welcomed Romania's President Traian Basescu at the Japanese Imperial Palace
Date: 11-03-2010
President Traian Basescu and his wife Maria were welcomed on Wednesday morning by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan, at the Nippon Imperial palace in Tokyo. President Basescu, on a three-day official visit to Japan, was welcomed at the Sakashita-mon South Gate, after which talks were held where absent were political and economic topics, as required by the Imperial House Protocol.The emperor and empress extended a dinner in the honour of President Basescu and his wife. Sitting at the head of the table were Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, both of whom were the patrons of the 2009 Year of Friendship between Japan and Danubian countries Austria, Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, Agerpres correspondent reports.
Prince Akishino, the second son of the Japanese emperor, and his wife previously met Basescu in 2009, when the two were on a European tour. Also attending the dinner at the Imperial Palace were Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi and Finance Minister Sebastian Vladescu.
In the after-noon, President Basescu attended a Romanian-Japanese business forum and met Chairman of the Chamber of Representatives Takahiro Yokomichi and Chairman of the Chamber of Councilors Satsuki Eda. The President also had talks with Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and signed a loan agreement for a loan to be used for the Bucharest underground transit system. In the evening, Prime Minister Hatoyama and her wife will extend a dinner in the honour of Traian Basescu and his wife Maria. President Basescu previously visited Japan on May 31, 2005, to attend the Aichi 2005 International Exposition.
Romania's Presidents hopes for the Japanese Emperor's visit
Romania hopes that the Japanese Emperor Akihito will visit Romania in the period to come, President Traian Basescu declared on Wednesday, March 10, during discussions with the Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama. "We were very glad to receive the visit of Prince Akishino in Romania. We hope that His Highness the Japanese Emperor will visit Romania in the period to come", the Romanian President said. In his turn, Yukio Hatoyama congratulated the Romanian President for his re-election. He said he was convinced hat the President's visit to Tokyo will contribute to the development of the bi-lateral relations. The PM said he was glad to discuss with the Romanian President international agenda issues, like the stability in Afghanistan and in the West Balkans, NATO related aspects and expressed his wish to work with Romania.
