Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan have departed for an eight-day official visit to the UK.
The Emperor and Empress departed on Saturday from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport aboard a government plane. The Crown Prince and Princess saw them off, along with Prince and Princess Akishino.
The visit was originally planned for 2020 at the invitation of Queen Elizabeth but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. This time, the Emperor and Empress were invited by King Charles.
The Japanese Imperial Family and the British Royal Family have enjoyed a close relationship for many years. Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan, said the visit marks the third visit of their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan to the UK, and stressed that it symbolizes the strong bond and friendship between the British and Japanese Imperial Families.
Japan and Britain fought a war during World War II, but after the war, exchanges between the imperial and royal families resumed. Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun visited Britain during a European tour in 1971.
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, when they were still Emperor and Empress, paid an official visit to the UK in 1998. The visit was not without controversy. Footage from the time shows people turning their backs on the Emperor and Empress, including former Japanese prisoners of war and former British soldiers, who continued to oppose the couple’s visit 50 years after the war.
Before his departure, the emperor noted that relations between the two countries had gone through difficult times in the 20th century, but he said Japan and the UK now enjoyed close cooperation in a wide range of areas.
The Emperor said he hoped his visit to the UK would be an opportunity to deepen the friendship between the people of Japan and the UK.
The Emperor and Empress are also scheduled to visit Oxford University, where they both studied.
Keith George, an American lawyer who also studied at the university, said he lived next door to the emperor in the university dormitory. George said, “The emperor told me, ‘Please call me Hiro from now on,’ so I have always called him Hiro. We have always been good friends and often went out to eat together. The emperor did not necessarily want to be treated specially because of his title.”
The Emperor and Empress are scheduled to attend a welcoming ceremony on Tuesday.
