Japan's monarch welcomes Thai queen Suthida for tea during Tokyo visit

Japan's emperor and empress hosted Thailand's Queen Suthida for tea at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on Tuesday, reaffirming longstanding bonds between the two royal houses.

Emperor Naruhito, 66, and Empress Masako, 62, held an informal meeting with Queen Suthida, 48, at the Imperial Residence on the palace grounds.

The imperial couple greeted the Thai queen in the reception hall. After exchanging formal courtesies, the royals sat for tea and discussed bilateral cooperation alongside the friendship between the two dynasties, according to Thai news outlet Khaosod.

Queen Suthida, 48, is on an official visit to Japan through Oct. 22 at the invitation of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president, having been appointed the federation's inaugural Women's Global Ambassador.

Her schedule began in northern Japan, where she attended the 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's Asia Championship in Sapporo from Oct. 15 to 18 to watch games and present honors to participating athletes.

A clip from the tournament quickly circulated on social media, capturing Queen Suthida presenting a medal to an athlete and offering a handshake. When the player hesitated, unsure of royal protocol, the Queen laughed and warmly embraced her, Thai PBS World reported.

Queen Suthida attended the tournament's closing ceremonies on Oct. 18 before joining that evening's gala dinner at the International Convention Center Pamir.

Her journey has drawn widespread international coverage from the start, with her piloting her own flight to Japan.