Hasina gets warm reception at Akasaka Palace

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded a warm reception at Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on Monday morning. On Sunday, the Prime Minister reached Tokyo on a four-day official visit at the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Sheikh Hasina along with Shinzo Abe arrived at the beautiful courtyard of the palace at 9:15am (local time) to attend the welcome ceremony. During the brief function, a smartly-turned out contingent of the ground self-defence forces of Japan gave a guard of honour to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She took an armed salute and inspected the guard. The national anthems of the two countries were played on the occasion. Later, Sheikh Hasina introduced Bangladesh ministers, and other high officials present at the presentation line with the Japanese Prime Minister. The Japanese Prime Minister also introduced his cabinet colleagues and high officials with the Bangladeshi Prime Minister. A large number of Japanese schoolchildren present at the function greeted Hasina by waving the miniature flags of the two countries, according to UNB.