The Japanese government has spent more than 16 billion yen (over $ 147 million) on the preparation of the upcoming main ceremony on Tuesday to mark the accession of the new emperor of the country Naruhito, TASS reported.
Most of the current expenses are related to the stay in Tokyo of foreign guests who came to the ceremony. This amount has increased almost five times compared with 1990 due to an unprecedentedly wide range of guests. Now, 400 representatives of 174 countries and territories, including more than 70 monarchs and heads of state, have arrived to participate in the ceremony on the occasion of the emperor’s accession to the throne in the Japanese capital. Among the guests are the kings of Belgium, Bhutan, Spain, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the British Crown Prince Charles, and the presidents of Austria, India, Hungary, the Philippines, and Finland. Russia will be represented by Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Iliyas Umakhanov, China - Vice President of China Wang Qishan, US - Transport Secretary Elaine Chao.
A significant part of the cost of the ceremony is associated with ensuring its safety. This involved more than 26 thousand police officers who arrived in Tokyo from different parts of the country. Special precautions are taken at the airports of the capital, reinforced patrols and roadblocks are visible in the city center in the area of the imperial palace. The main ceremony will take place in his most prestigious Pine Hall. In addition to foreign guests, it will be attended by more than 1.6 thousand representatives of all sectors of Japanese society - heads of the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government, cabinet members and former prime ministers, governors of prefectures, scientists, athletes, writers, businessmen.