Emperor Naruhito Thanks Netherlands and Belgium for Warm Welcome

Emperor Naruhito on June 25 expressed gratitude for the reception he and Empress Masako received during state visits to the Netherlands and Belgium. “I am really happy and truly grateful that we were cordially welcomed,” he told reporters in the Belgian city of Namur. The imperial couple began the Netherlands portion of the trip on June 13 and arrived in Belgium on June 20.

They last visited the two countries in 2013 and 1999, respectively, when they were crown prince and crown princess. Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019. The emperor said he was pleased to have reunited with members of the Dutch and Belgian royal families, including young princesses around the age of Princess Aiko.

“We are very glad that (the princesses) have grown up,” he said. ” He also visited a monument to the war dead in Amsterdam during the Netherlands stay. Emperor Naruhito reiterated that it is “extremely important to humbly learn from history” and noted that his parents, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, performed a similar visit in 2000.

“I acted from the bottom of my heart in a way that inherited my parents’ feelings,” he said. On the same day in Leuven, Belgium, Emperor Naruhito toured the Imec semiconductor research center with King Philippe. The center maintains a partnership with Japanese chipmaker Rapidus.

He also visited the KU Leuven university library, which his grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, visited in 1921 while crown prince. Japanese donors contributed approximately 15,000 books to rebuild the library after its destruction in World War I. Emperor Naruhito said the stays at royal castles allowed relaxed talks that deepened exchanges.