Japan Emperor, Empress Send Condolences on Norwegian King's Death

Tokyo, Aug. 29 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako sent a condolence telegram to Norway's new King Haakon VIII over the death of King Harald V, Japan's Imperial Household Agency said Saturday.

The Imperial Family and the Norwegian Royal Family have long maintained close ties.

King Harald competed as a sailor at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko watched the sailing events held off Enoshima in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, at the time.

When King Harald visited Japan as a state guest in 2001, the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita, then Emperor and Empress, showed him around Enoshima Yacht Harbor, a place associated with him.

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