President Quang and Emperor Akihito held talks at the Vietnam presidential palace, where Vietnamese and Japanese flags were displayed side by side, after a ceremonial welcome by Vietnamese troops. 

This, the first ever visit by a Japanese Emperor, is a sign of blossoming ties between the two nations, which have improved dramatically in the seven decades since the Second World War.

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrive at the Presidential Palace at 10:10 a.m. on March 1.      

Visiting Japan's Emperor Akihito reviews the troops during a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace grounds on Wednesday March 1, 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Children wave Japanese and Vietnamese flags during a welcoming ceremony by visiting Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Presidential Palace on Wednesday March 1, 2017 in Hanoi, Vietnam.