Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte Carpio met new Emperor Naruhito of Japan and mingled with other world leaders during the royal banquet in Tokyo, Japan last Tuesday night.
Mayor Duterte, dressed in a Filipiniana terno, represented her father President Duterte during the court banquet to celebrate the enthronement of the new Japanese emperor.
“The Palace wishes to relay to the public that the President’s daughter, Mayor Sara Duterte, attended the banquet to mark Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s formal ascension to the throne last night, Oct. 22, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said.
“She was able to meet and talk with Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako, as well as Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe,” he said.
Mayor Duterte also had a chance to chat with other foreign dignitaries attending the banquet.
“The court banquet was held from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. where about 180 countries sent their respective leaders or representatives to celebrate the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito. According to Mayor Duterte, she was able to leave the event at 11 p.m. as she spent time to chat with other world leaders, assessing the event as an opportune time to network and mingle with them,” Panelo said.
Naruhito proclaimed his ascendancy to the throne in a ceremony attended by world leaders and other dignitaries at the Imperial Palace last Tuesday. A court banquet was later held in the evening.
The President attended the enthronement ceremony but was forced to miss the royal banquet to go home after enduring spinal pain from a recent motorcycle accident. He asked his daughter to attend the event on his behalf.
The President thanked his daughter for representing the country during the banquet in honor of the new Japanese emperor.
“The Office of the President wishes to relay its gratitude to Mayor Duterte for stepping up and properly and elegantly representing the country in the President’s stead as the latter was constrained to leave Tokyo for Manila earlier that evening,” Panelo said.
Panelo was likewise all praises for Mayor Duterte who wore Filipiniana ternos during the enthronement ceremony and court banquet.
“Earlier at the enthronement ceremonies, the Davao City Mayor was stunningly beautiful in her green Filipiniana terno by Silverio Anglacer, describing the event as solemn and traditional,” he said.
He said Mayor Duterte was “an eye catcher in her pink terno and appeared to be enjoying herself with attendees being arranged and served a sit-down Japanese-style dinner during the banquet.”
He said the Davao City mayor is expected to represent the President at the Prime Minister’s banquet hosted by Abe in honor of the visiting heads of states and representatives of other governments. (Genalyn Kabiling)
