両陛下、ＡＳＥＡＮ首脳と茶会　皇居

　天皇、皇后両陛下は１８日、来日中の東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）各国首脳らを皇居・宮殿に招き、茶会を開かれた。
　茶会は日ＡＳＥＡＮ特別首脳会議に合わせたもので、９カ国の首脳夫妻ら１４人が出席。天皇陛下は冒頭、英語であいさつし、会議の成功に祝意を示した。
　宮内庁によると、陛下は共同議長国インドネシアのジョコ大統領に「会議を成功に導いたことに敬意を表します」と述べた。６月の同国訪問の際の接遇にも感謝の意を示した。
　また、両陛下は同国やフィリピン、東ティモールの首脳らに、火山噴火や洪水などの自然災害へのお見舞いを伝えた。
　外国要人との茶会はコロナ禍を経て４年４カ月ぶり。秋篠宮ご夫妻も出席した。（2023/12/18-19:24）

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Monday hosted a tea party at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for visiting leaders of Association of Southeast Asian Nations member states.
   Fourteen people from nine countries, including leaders and their spouses, attended the event, held in line with the three-day Japan-ASEAN special summit, which took place in the Japanese capital through Monday to mark 50 years of friendship and cooperation between Japan and ASEAN.
   At the start of the tea party, Emperor Naruhito delivered a speech in English, in which he, among other things, praised the success of the commemorative summit.
   The Emperor showed his respect to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who co-chaired the summit with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, for leading the meeting to a success, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
   The Emperor, who made an official trip to Indonesia with his wife in June, expressed his gratitude to the president and his country for warmly treating them during the visit.