Japan Imperial Couple Departs for Trip to Netherlands, Belgium

Tokyo, June 13 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako departed for an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium on Saturday morning aboard a government aircraft from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The Imperial couple will travel to multiple countries on a single trip for the first time since 2002. They are slated to return to Japan on June 26. They boarded the airplane around 11 a.m. after being seen off by Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko as well as Eisuke Mori, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, and his wife. Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are set to arrive in the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon and stay at a Dutch royal castle until Tuesday. On Wednesday, the couple will be in Amsterdam to attend a welcome ceremony, offer flowers at a war memorial and participate in a banquet hosted by King Willem-Alexander and his wife. The Emperor will visit a research facility on water-related issues, which he researches closely, and a pediatric oncology center. A cherry tree-planting event is set to be held at a park near Amsterdam. The Imperial couple will travel to Belgium on June 20 and stay at a Belgian royal castle before attending a welcome ceremony and banquet hosted by King Philippe and his wife in Brussels on June 23. The Emperor will visit the Brussels city hall and a globally known semiconductor research and development center. Empress Masako’s participation in events other than welcome ceremonies and banquets will be determined based on her health condition. Former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will serve as the chief attendant to the Imperial couple, who will also be accompanied by psychiatrist Yutaka Ono, primary doctor for the Empress. Crown Prince Akishino will handle state affairs on the Emperor’s behalf during the trip. The trip is the fourth overseas tour by the Imperial couple since Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019, following visits to Indonesia, Britain and Mongolia. At a press conference Thursday, the Emperor expressed hope that the visit would serve as an opportunity to strengthen friendships with members of the Dutch and Belgian royal families and enhance mutual understanding and relations between people in Japan and the two European countries. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]