The Crown Prince of Japan and his wife have arrived in New Zealand for a five-day tour, and are already getting friendly with representatives of the country's indigenous Maori population.
When they landed in the capital Wellington, Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako were greeted by an indigenous guard of honour. Hordes of children were also waiting to welcome the couple, excitedly waving Japanese flags, as the New Zealand Air Force band played in the background. The princess then came face to face with a Maori elder in a traditional greeting called the "hongi".
Prior to leaving Japan, the prince said he was looking forward to learning about the indigenous culture of the country. The princess, who is a Harvard graduate and fluent in five languages, meanwhile stressed the importance of Asia-Pacific cooperation.
Over the weekend the couple are scheduled to visit both the North and South Islands and will inspect the multi-million dollar yachts getting ready to compete in the Louis Vuitton Cup.
Next Tuesday they will head on to Australia where they are to visit Sydney and the capital Canberra.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
