King Norodom Sihamoni to attend Japan’s Emperor enthronement ceremonies in October

Then-Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito (R) shakes hands with Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni (L) during a meeting at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh on June 27, 2012.
  • Thmey Thmey
  • August 6, 2019 9:58 AM

The King will be among world leaders and dignitaries from nearly 200 countries expected to take part in the official enthronement  


PHNOM PENH--King Norodom Sihamoni will travel to Japan in October to attend the proclamation ceremony of Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement. 


Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn made the announcement on August 1 during a meeting with his Japanese counterpart Taro Kono on the sidelines of the 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Bangkok. 


Kono forwarded his thanks to Cambodia’s King Sihamoni and, according to a Cambodian Foreign Ministry’s press release, said that Japan “looks forward to welcoming the King’s upcoming presence.” 

  

World leaders and dignitaries from nearly 200 countries are expected to take part in the proclamation of the new Emperor’s enthronement to take place on October 22 and during which the emperor will “declare his succession to the world”, according to The Japan Times newspaper. 


Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne on May 1 during a ceremony that marked the beginning of the imperial era Reiwa, which means “beautiful harmony” as the Japanese government stated.


His accession to the throne followed the abdication of Emperor Akihito, his father, who became the first Japanese monarch to do so in more than 200 years. 


Ties between the Japanese imperial family and the Cambodian royal family go back nearly seven decades. The late King Norodom Sihanouk had first visited Japan in 1953, establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries. 


In 2013, Japan became one of Cambodia’s strategic partners and has been one of the country’s biggest donors.


Last May, Japanese Ambassador to Cambodia Hidehisa Horinouchi said, “I sincerely hope that the people of Japan and Cambodia will continue to foster the friendship we have built and will inspire the cultural exchanges that have already done so much to enrich our relationship.”

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