Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako traveled to Britain for a three-day official state visit through Thursday. The following are questions and answers about their visit as state guests, and the relationship between Japan's imperial family and the British royal family.
Q: What is a state guest?
A: A state guest is a foreign dignitary who receives the highest level of hospitality during an official visit to another country. The honor is usually reserved for reigning monarchs, presidents and other heads of state, and includes elaborate ceremonies, banquets, and other events.
Q: Has a Japanese emperor ever visited Britain as a state guest before?
A: Emperor Hirohito was the first Japanese emperor to visit Britain as a state guest in 1971, followed by Emperor Akihito in May 1998 during his reign. Emperor Naruhito is the third generation to make an official visit to Britain.
Q: Is there a deep connection between the Japanese imperial and British royal families?
A: The connection between the two families dates back to 1869, when Prince Alfred, the second son of Queen Victoria, visited Japan and met Emperor Meiji.
Numerous mutual visits have been conducted between members of both families since then, including a visit to Japan by then Prince Charles and his then wife the late Princess Diana in 1986.
While it is customary for the emperor not to attend funerals, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended Queen Elizabeth's state funeral in September 2022 in consideration of the emperor's close ties with her.
"The Queen always warmly watched over relations between our two countries and cared deeply about the relationship between the British royal family and the imperial family," the emperor has said.
Q: Does the imperial family have any other connections to Britain?
A: Both the emperor and empress separately studied at Oxford University before their marriage. Their only child, Princess Aiko, also attended Eton College for a summer school program when she was in high school. Many other members of the imperial family have also studied in Britain.
Q: Does Empress Masako always accompany Emperor Naruhito on his overseas trips?
A: After marrying Emperor Naruhito, then crown prince, in 1993, the empress accompanied him on visits to the Middle East and other regions. However, she did not join him on his visit to Britain in 2001 as she was pregnant with their daughter Princess Aiko.
In 2004, the Imperial Household Agency announced the empress was suffering from an adjustment disorder, and she shunned notable public appearances for roughly a decade. In 2013 she visited the Netherlands to attend the coronation of Dutch King Willem-Alexander, making her first official overseas trip in 11 years.
In recent years, as her condition has gradually improved, she has engaged in various official duties, including a visit to Tonga in 2015 and to Britain in 2022 for Queen Elizabeth's funeral.
The state visit to Britain is the imperial couple's second goodwill overseas trip since Emperor Naruhito ascended to the throne in 2019, following an official trip to Indonesia in June 2023.
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British king welcomes Japan's imperial couple at start of state visit
