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Published: Monday October 1, 2012 MYT 11:06:00 AM
Updated: Monday October 1, 2012 MYT 11:07:35 AM

King, Queen on state visit to Japan


SEPANG: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Abdul Halim Mu'adzam Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah left for Tokyo Monday to begin a four-day state visit to Japan.

Their Majesties left in a special aircraft which departed at 8.45 am from the KL International Airport here.

They were accompanied by Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, as the minister-in-attendance, and senior officials of the Istana Negara, Prime Minister's Department and Foreign Ministry.

At the airport to see them off were Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin and his wife, Puan Sri Noorainee Abdul Rahman, deputy foreign ministers A. Kohilan Pillay and Datuk Richard Riot, Deputy Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Maglin Dennis D'Cruz, Chief Secretary to the Government Datuk Seri Dr Ali Hamsa and Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar.

At the airport, the Yang di-Pertuan Agong inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by four officers and 103 men of the First Battalion, Royal Malay Regiment. A 21-gun salute was fired. The visit is at the invitation of Emperor Akihito of Japan. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong and Raja Permaisuri Agong are scheduled to have an audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and attend a royal banquet in their honour.

Tuanku Abdul Halim and Tuanku Hajah Haminah are also scheduled to meet the Malaysian community in Japan at a dinner organised by the Malaysian embassy in Tokyo.

Emperor Akihito and Express Michiko visited Malaysia in 1991 and 2006. - Bernama

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