At the invitation of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee, Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan will visit India from November 30 to December 5.
During their six-day visit, they will meet Indian President Pranab Mukherjee and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and are expected to discuss bilateral, regional and international issues of mutual and regional interest. Following their engagements in New Delhi, they will proceed to Chennai.
This is the first time that an Emperor and Empress of Japan will visit India, and is expected to expand and strengthen the India – Japan Strategic and Global Partnership. While this is the royal couple’s second visit to India – had last visited India in 1960, as the then crown prince and crown princess – this is their first visit to India since ascending the throne in 1989.
India and Japan share warm bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1960. In 2012-13 the bilateral trade between New Delhi and Tokyo stood at $ 18.61 billion. Annual Summits between the prime ministers of the two countries have been taking place since 2006.