President Alvi, First Lady attend enthronement ceremony of Japan's emperor.

TOKYO -- President Dr. Arif Alvi and First Lady attended the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan Naruhito in Tokyo on Tuesday.

The ceremony was attended by more than 100 Heads of State and Government. The President was accompanied by First Lady Mrs. Samina Alvi. The President and First Lady felicitated the Emperor and the Empress on ascending the throne.

The President and First Lady are currently visiting Japan on the invitation of the Japanese Government.

Later in the evening, they also attended the State Banquet hosted by the Emperor in the honour of the visiting dignitaries.

Dressed in a ceremonial outfit dominated by a draped outer robe in copper, Emperor Naruhito has formally proclaimed his enthronement in front of royals and leaders from around the world and announced, "I hereby declare my enthronement at home and abroad."

The event was conducted largely in silence, with only drums and gongs sounding. Some 2,000 guests, including foreign dignitaries and royalty, stood at the sound of a deep drum beat before the proclamation began.

When the ceremony was complete, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe cried "Banzai!" ("long live the emperor") three times.

Naruhito officially assumed his duties as emperor on May 1, the day after his father became the...