Vietnamese Vice-State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan chaired a welcome ceremony for Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi on Thursday morning.

Akishino and Kiko arrived at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Wednesday afternoon, beginning their official visit to Vietnam which will last until Monday next week.

The Japanese crown prince and Vice-State President Xuan held talks after the welcome ceremony.

Akishino’s Vietnam visit marks the 50th anniversary of Japan-Vietnam diplomatic ties.

This is the third time the Japanese crown prince has visited Vietnam.

His previous visits were made in 1999 and 2012.

Vice-State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (C), Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko (left side) pose for a photo. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Akishino and Kiko will attend a ceremony to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties on Thursday night, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

As part of their trip, they will meet with State President Vo Van Thuong on Friday.

They and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang will attend the world premiere of “Princess Anio,” an opera which tells the love story between a Vietnamese princess and a Japanese merchant, at the Hanoi Opera House on Friday night.

The opera was jointly produced by the two nations to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties, reported Japanese public broadcaster NHK.

Vice-State President Vo Thi Anh Xuan (R) talks to Japanese Crown Prince Akishino. Photo: Nguyen Khanh / Tuoi Tre

Akishino and Kiko will fly to the central region of Vietnam on Saturday morning to join various activities in Da Nang City and Quang Nam Province.

The two top Japanese representatives will also meet Vietnamese people who had earlier studied and lived in Japan, according to the Japanese Embassy in Vietnam.

Japanese Ambassador in Vietnam Yamada Takio was cited by website japanvietnam50.org as saying that the two nations’ bilateral relationship has made the greatest-ever strides.

Japan sees Vietnam as one of its key partners in implementing its free and open Indo-Pacific strategy.

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