SBY meets Emperor Akihito in Tokyo

Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko received on Friday in Tokyo Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, who are visiting Japan on the invitation of the former.

Yudhoyono arrived at the Tokyo Imperial Palace at 3 p.m. Tokyo time, without the usual accompaniment of his presidential guards.

The Indonesian President expressed his condolences for the victims of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, which the Japanese emperor responded to by thanking him for the humanitarian aid  the Indonesian government and public had sent to Japan.

Akihito also expressed his concern on four Indonesian ship crew members currently being held hostage by Somali pirates.

The meeting lasted about 15 minutes.

Yudhoyono is scheduled to visit on Saturday Kesennuma in Miyagi prefecture, one of the areas worst affected by the March quake and tsunami, the president's official site, presidensby.info, reported.