Japan’s Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who are on a six-day visit to India, received a ceremonial reception and were accorded with guard of honour at Rashtrapati Bhavan here on Monday. The royal couple went down memory lane on their second visit to Rashtrapati Bhavan, as they were hosted by then president Dr. Rajendra Prasad as Crown Prince and Crown Princess in 1960. The trip is the first-ever visit to the country by a Japanese Emperor and Empress.
They also paid homage at the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation. On Sunday, the Japanese royals visited the famed and sprawling Lodhi Gardens. Japan is India”s largest source of aid and plays a key role in supporting infrastructure development, financing projects like Western Dedicated Freight Corridor, Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, and Bangalore Metro Rail Project. The visit is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties further and discussing strategic relationships between the two nations. The royal couple is scheduled to return to Tokyo on December 5. (ANI)