Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako welcomed Thailand’s Queen Suthida to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo yesterday and hosted a tea reception in her honour during her official visit to Japan.
The royal couple greeted the Queen at the palace entrance at around 6.30pm on Tuesday. The meeting marked the first time Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako had met Queen Suthida.
The Queen is visiting Japan from October 14 to 22 in her capacity as the International Ice Hockey Federation’s (IIHF) first Women’s Global Ambassador.
Her visit includes attending the 2027 IIHF Ice Hockey Women’s Asia Championship in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and presenting medals and trophies to athletes.
A video clip circulating on social media showed the Queen presenting a medal to a hockey player and extending her hand for a handshake. When the player appeared hesitant, the Queen laughed and embraced her instead. The light-hearted exchange attracted attention online.
During the championship, Queen Suthida attended matches and presented awards to players in recognition of their performances.
On October 18, she took part in the tournament’s closing activities in Sapporo before attending a gala dinner that evening at the International Convention Center Pamir.
She presented honorary awards recognising outstanding players, match officials and coaches, including honours for the best offensive and defensive players and the best goaltender.
Her visit has also attracted attention from Japanese media because of her aviation background.
On October 14, the Queen personally piloted the royal aircraft from Don Mueang Military Airport in Bangkok to New Chitose Airport in Hokkaido, completing a flight of about seven hours before driving herself to her hotel in Sapporo.
On October 8, she also completed a solo flight in a JAS 39C Gripen fighter jet, an achievement that received international media coverage.
The IIHF appointed Queen Suthida as its first Women’s Global Ambassador in 2023 in recognition of her support for and personal participation in ice hockey, particularly women’s ice hockey.
She also attended medal matches at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy earlier this year.
The Queen is scheduled to return to Thailand on October 22.
