Japan’s emperor meets with Indonesian president on first official foreign trip

Japanese Emperor Naruhito met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo on Monday during his first official foreign trip since ascending the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.
Widodo and first lady Iriana welcomed Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Bogor presidential palace, along with greeters wearing Indonesian traditional clothes and a military band that played both national anthems.
Naruhito is seeking to underline the friendship between Japan and Indonesia during his weeklong visit, and officials said the two leaders would talk about cooperation between the countries. Naruhito said he and Masako have been able to deepen their understanding of Indonesia’s people and culture while also reflecting on its history.
The emperor arrived in the capital Saturday and visited some places in the city, including a station of the Jakarta MRT, which is Indonesia’s first subway line and was financed by a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.