Japan’s emperor says he looks forward to deepening ties with Britain’s royals during UK visit

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito said Wednesday he is “delighted” to finally be able to visit Britain after the trip was delayed by several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The royal said 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 a first of his overseas visits after his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.

“I’m truly delighted to be able to make a visit to Britain this time,” Naruhito told reporters ahead of his June 22-29 trip with Masako. The emperor said he regretted that they could not make the trip while Queen Elizabeth was alive.

“Through our upcoming visit, I would like to reflect on the long history of exchanges fostered between Japan and Britain,” Naruhito said. He hoped to nurture the friendship with King Charles III and Queen Camilla and other members of Britain’s royal family, and boost relations between the two sides through meetings and exchanges.

Naruhito thanked King Charles III for accommodating the visit despite him still recovering from cancer treatment. He wished both Charles and Katherine, the Princess of Wales, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, a speedy recovery.

Japan’s imperial family has had close relations with Britain’s royal family for three generations starting from his grandfather, late Emperor Hirohito.

Naruhito acknowledged that there had been difficult times when Japan and Britain fought on opposing sides during World War II, but he said Japan has since focused on peace and prosperity on