YOKOHAMA - President Rodrigo Duterte expressed his sympathies to Emperor Akihito whose uncle passed away on Thursday, resulting to the cancellation of his courtesy call to the Japanese Royal.

"I'd like to express my deepest condolence," Duterte told reporters during his visit at the Japanese Coast Guard here.

Duterte said the protocol officer told him not to push with the call on Emperor "because they are mourning."

"And I respect that because I would ask for the same, maybe, request if I were in his shoes," Duterte said.

The Emperor's uncle, Prince Mikasa, died at the age of 100, hours before Duterte's scheduled courtesy call slated at 5pm at the Imperial Palace.

A source said a representative from the Japanese side personally relayed to Duterte the cancellation of the call. Celerina Monte/DMS