BSS-56 President attends dinner hosted by Japanese PM Abe

757

ZCZC

BSS-56

PRESIDENT-ABE-DINNER

(URGENT)

President attends dinner hosted by Japanese PM Abe

TOKYO, Japan, Oct 23, 2019 (BSS) – President M Abdul Hamid attended the banquet hosted by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his spouse at Hotel New Otani in Japan’s capital Tokyo this evening.

“The President exchanged greetings with the Prime Minister of Japan during the dinner. He also exchanged greetings with the heads of the state of Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Slovakia during the dinner,” President’s press secretary Joynal Abedin told BSS tonight.

The head of the state, who is on eight-day two-nation tour in Japan and Singapore, arrived here on Sunday last and Hotel New Otani is his place of residence here.

Abdul Hamid joined the enthronement ceremony of Japanese new emperor, who formally declared his ascension as Japan’s 126th monarch in front of about 2,000 leaders and representatives from 174 countries and regions at the Imperial Palace here last afternoon.

The 59-year-old Emperor Naruhito ascended the chrysanthemum throne on May 1, following the abdication of his 85-year-old father Emperor Emeritus Akihito.

The President also attended the Palace Banquet hosted by Japanese new Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako yesterday.

President’s spouse Rashida Khanam accompanied him in the dinner.

Earlier, the President visited Yokohama, the second largest city of Japan with a population of over three million. Yokohama is located less than half-an-hour south of Tokyo by train.

The President also visited a cargo-passenger vessel named Hikwa Maru, built in 1930. Hikwa Maru was a state-of-the-art ship. During the World War 11, Hikwa Maru was set up as navy hospital ship. The ship stuck mines on three separate occasions before the war ended but avoided being sunk.

Abdul Hamid witnessed the historic vessel which later refitted as cargo-passenger ship and the natural sight of the Yokohama Bay and the bank of it.

President wife Rashida Khanam, his son Rejwan Ahammad Taufiq, MP, Md Afzal Hossain, MP, and Secretaries concerned to the Bangabhaban, among others, accompanied the President.

BSS/ASG/SIR/MRU/2300hrs