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> 総理大臣【そうりだいじん】はヨーロッパを訪問【ほうもん】されたくさんの国々の大統領【だいとうりょう】に会われた。
>
> "The prime minister visited Europe and met the presidents of various
> countries".

され is as this to link the phrase right?

Why use "を" as if it were a normal sentence? Wouldn't it be "で" or "に" as a
normal passive sentence?

Are Honorific/Courtesy sentences treated as if they were normal sentences even
though they are conjugated using the passive form in the verbs?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2016-06-25T21:56:05.187
36179
2019-11-04T01:27:48.883
2020-06-17T08:18:27.500
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question
grammar particles syntax passive-voice
Is this sentence correct? courtesy/honorific use of the passive
Yes, the sentence is perfectly correct. The auxiliary (助動詞) 「れる/られる」 has four
meanings: 「受け身」(passive), 「尊敬」(honorific), 「可能」(potential), and
「自発」(spontaneous). Here in your example, it is used as honorific.

> 総理大臣はヨーロッパを訪問 **され** たくさんの国々の大統領に **会われ** た。

is not the passive voice, but the honorific speech (尊敬語) of:

> 総理大臣はヨーロッパを訪問 **し** たくさんの国々の大統領に **会っ** た。

Which _literally_ means:

> The prime minister **visited** Europe and **met** the presidents of various
> countries.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-06-27T15:15:38.750
36224
2016-06-27T15:15:38.750
9831
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answer