TOKYO, Japan — In a rare departure from rigid palace protocol, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan held a brief, impromptu conversation Wednesday with members of the Philippine media at the Imperial Palace.

The interaction occurred following a formal state call by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who are in Tokyo for a four-day state visit.

After bidding farewell to the Philippine first couple on the palace porch, the emperor and empress turned to greet members of the Malacañang Press Corps who were covering the event.

“How’s your stay? Are you enjoying?” Empress Masako softly asked the reporters, while Emperor Naruhito stood beside her smiling.

The journalists thanked the imperial couple for the reception and expressed appreciation for the hospitality, food and cleanliness of Japan.

The spontaneous interaction stunned onlookers, including members of the Japanese media and officials from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Because cellphones and cameras are strictly prohibited inside the palace, the historic moment went undocumented by the press corps.

The meeting with the press capped a highly ceremonial state call at the Take-no-Ma, or Imperial Palace Audience Room, where the two heads of state exchanged their nations’ highest diplomatic honors.

Emperor Naruhito bestowed upon Marcos the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, Japan’s highest decoration, which was established in 1876 by Emperor Meiji.

First Lady Araneta-Marcos received the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown, an honor traditionally reserved for foreign female royalty and high-ranking dignitaries.

In a reciprocal gesture, the Philippines conferred the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Grand Collar (Supremo) on Emperor Naruhito, while Empress Masako was awarded the Order of Gabriela Silang.

The state visit, which marks the 70th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries, began with a formal welcome ceremony attended by Crown Prince Fumihito, Crown Princess Kiko, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Following the imperial palace visit, Marcos met with the Japan-Philippines Parliamentary Friendship League at the National Diet to discuss security, trade, and regional affairs.

Marcos praised Japan’s increasingly proactive role in Indo-Pacific stability, stressing the defense partnerships between the two maritime democracies, including the Reciprocal Access Agreement and the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement.

“Japan remains one of the Philippines’ most important partners in terms of trade and investment,” Marcos told the lawmakers, citing that Japan leads all nations in the scale of its development assistance to the Philippines.