Princess Aiko concluded first official visit

Japan’s Princess Aiko concluded her first official solo visit to Laos.

The daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako travelled to Laos for six days and returned to Japan on 22 November.

Princess Aiko met Laos’s President Thongloun Sisoulith during her visit and delivered a message from her parents.

Her visit also included trips to symbolic sites in the capital of Vientiane, and she also paid a visit to the ancient capital of Luang Prabang.

Princess Aiko visited education centres and a children’s hospital, where she interacted with the children. As with most foreign visits, the royal met with Japanese people who live in Laos.

The Princess said on Instagram after the trip, “I realised that the friendship between Japan and Laos has been fostered and developed through exchanges between people of the two countries.”

This year marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Laos.