Archbishop Joseph Chennoth, the new apostolic nuncio to Japan, presented his credentials to Emperor Akihito yesterday following a ride to the imperial palace in a horse-drawn carriage.

The nuncio, who arrived in Japan October 20, boarded the ceremonial carriage at the Meiji Seimei Kan building near the palace.

Usually, newly appointed ambassadors board the carriage at Tokyo station, but the station is

undergoing restoration to its original form before a 1945 air raid.

Japan is one of the few countries to welcome new ambassadors with a horse-drawn carriage instead of a motorcade.

Until last month, the carriage had not been used since the March 11 earthquake because the palace’s main gate was damaged in the quake.