On Thursday evening, Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristin Cooper greeted Prime Minister of Japan Kishida Fumio and Mrs. Kishida Yuko upon their arrival at RDU-International Airport. This historic visit to North Carolina by the Prime Minister and his wife comes following a White House State Dinner on Wednesday night hosted by President Biden and honoring America’s relationship with Japan.

The Prime Minister was greeted on the Tarmac by Governor and Mrs. Cooper. US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel and Japanese Ambassador to the United States Shigeo Yamada both traveled to North Carolina with the Prime Minister and joined the Coopers in the receiving line.

The Japanese delegation was also welcomed by members of the North Carolina Central University Marching Band and the NC Department of Adult Correction Honor Guard. WRAL News in Raleigh provided pool coverage of the airport welcome.

UPDATED video footage of the tarmac greet is available for media use here, here, and here (this link includes footage of the tarmac greet, the handshake line and the NC Central marching band.)

Still photos provided by the Governor’s Office are available here.