President and Mrs George Vella left Malta for Japan on Sunday for the enthronement ceremony marking the ascension of Emperor Naruhito.

Around 5,000 people have been invited to attend, including 193 heads of state.

The ceremony will take place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Tuesday and will follow the traditional Japanese rite. It will be broadcast directly on the national Japanese station.

The Japanese monarchy is the oldest in the world which still  appoints the heir to the throne as emperor.

Emperor Naruhito will be enthroned following the abdication of his father Akihito in April.

In Japan, President Vella will also take part in a discussion with students of Chiba University of Commerce. President and Mrs Vella will meet the Maltese living in Japan, representatives of Japanese authorities, members of Parliament, entrepreneurs and students.

While President Vella is in Japan, Dolores Cristina is acting President.

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