Japan Imperial Couple Departs for Trip to Netherlands, Belgium

Tokyo, June 13 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako departed for an official visit to the Netherlands and Belgium on Saturday morning aboard a government aircraft from Tokyo's Haneda Airport.

The Imperial couple will travel to multiple countries on a single trip for the first time since 2002. They are slated to return to Japan on June 26.

They boarded the airplane around 11 a.m. after being seen off by Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko as well as Eisuke Mori, speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament, and his wife.

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are set to arrive in the Netherlands on Saturday afternoon and stay at a Dutch royal castle until Tuesday. On Wednesday, the couple will be in Amsterdam to attend a welcome ceremony, offer flowers at a war memorial and participate in a banquet hosted by King Willem-Alexander and his wife.

The Emperor will visit a research facility on water-related issues, which he researches closely, and a pediatric oncology center. A cherry tree-planting event is set to be held at a park near Amsterdam.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]