President Rumen Radev Met with Japanese Emperor Naruhito

As part of his official visit on Tokyo, on May 19 President Rumen Radev was received in audience by Emperor Naruhito. This is the second meeting between the two, following the Bulgarian Head of State's attendance at the Emperor’s enthronement ceremony in 2019.

In the Japanese capital, President Rumen Radev is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Tuesday. The two are expected to sign a Declaration to elevate bilateral relations between Bulgaria and Japan to the level of a strategic partnership.

At the Prime Minister’s residence, the Bulgarian President will be welcomed with a formal ceremony featuring military honours, followed by a meeting between the two official delegations.

In Tokyo, President Radev and Princess Takamado, a member of the Japanese Imperial Family, viewed an exhibition dedicated to Bulgarian-Japanese relations. The exhibition, titled “Bulgaria – Japan: Politics, Diplomacy, Personalities and Events,” presents the history of bilateral relations from the late 19th century to the present day. It is being held at Waseda University in the capital. The curators of the exhibition are Vera Stefanova, a Japanologist and seasoned diplomat, and Associate Professor Evgeniy Kandilarov from Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski."

Photos by BTA

Bilateral relations between Japan and Bulgaria were also the subject of a lecture delivered by President Rumen Radev. In his remarks, he noted that the two countries have historically enjoyed good cooperation and identified several areas with potential for future development. He highlighted the digital sector, high technology, innovation, and artificial intelligence as key fields for deepening collaboration.