Japan’s emperor says he looks forward to deepening ties with Britain’s royals during UK visit
By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press
TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito says he is delighted to finally be able to visit Britain after the trip was delayed by several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He says he looks forward to rekindling his friendship with the British royal family and exploring Oxford, where he studied about 40 years ago. Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, will make a weeklong visit to Britain starting Saturday. The trip was originally planned for 2020 at the invitation of the late Queen Elizabeth II as the first of his overseas visits after his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019. The trip includes a banquet hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as well as a visit to Oxford, where both he and Masako studied.