TOKYO – Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will travel to the Netherlands and Belgium for about two weeks from mid-June, the government said Tuesday, marking their fourth official overseas trip aimed at promoting international goodwill since the emperor’s accession.
During the trip between June 13 and 26 as state guests, the emperor and empress will attend welcoming ceremonies and banquets hosted by the royal couples of the two European countries. It will be their first visit to the Netherlands in 13 years and to Belgium in 27 years.
During their visit to the Netherlands in 2006 as crown prince and crown princess, they spent two weeks with their daughter Princess Aiko on a sojourn aimed at helping the crown princess recover from an adjustment disorder.
After departing from Tokyo on June 13, the imperial couple will attend a welcoming ceremony and a banquet in Amsterdam hosted by King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima. They are also scheduled to meet with Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten and visit the parliament in The Hague.
Arrangements are also being made for the couple to lay flowers at a war memorial, given the history of Japan’s invasion of the former Dutch East Indies — now Indonesia — during World War II.
With this year marking the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Belgium, the emperor and empress will travel to Brussels on June 20, where they will be welcomed by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde.
They will depart on June 25, arriving in Japan the following day.
It will be the first trip to two countries by the imperial couple since the emperor’s enthronement in 2019.
The overseas trip follows their visit to Mongolia last year. Their visit as crown prince and crown princess to New Zealand and Australia in 2002 was the last time they visited two countries on a single trip.
AloJapan.com