Travel pool report #2 - Arrival at palace and ceremony

The motorcade reached the Palace at 9:32 after a short and uneventful ride.

Your pool was promptly led inside the neo baroque building and saw the President and the PM ascend a red carpeted flight of stairs together before going into an reception room for the welcome ceremony.

An honor guard was waiting for them.

The military band started playing while the two leaders were standing on a podium. POTUS saluted during the national anthem.

The ceremony was taking place in a pretty opulent room, with massive chandeliers and wood panels adorned with golden paint.

The President walked around half of the room, and the Japanese PM followed him after what looked like a brief moment of hesitation.

They both went back to the podium for a couple

of minutes, before stepping down and greeting both delegations. Sec Rubio and Bessent were present on the US side, together with Susie Wiles, Karoline Leavitt and Stephen Miller among others.

At 9:46 the two leaders exited the room, followed by the delegations.

More tk.

Aurelia End

AFP White House Correspondent

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@aureliaendAFP