State Visit of TM The Emperor and Empress of Japan to the UK (22-28 June) - 'Friends like no other'

Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan visited the United Kingdom from 22 to 28 June 2024 at the invitation of His Majesty King Charles III. The State Visit to the UK was initially planned in Spring 2020 but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

State Visits play an integral role in Anglo-Japanese relationships and offer a special opportunity to celebrate the friendship and cooperation between our two countries at all level of society. This State Visit by TM The Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako was the first visit from the imperial couple to be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The King had previously attended the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito in 2019 and The Emperor and Empress of Japan also attended the State Funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 2022, which was Their Majesties’ first overseas trip after The Emperor's enthronement.

Before the State Visit formally commenced on Tuesday 25 June, The Emperor conducted a private programme of engagements on Sunday 23 and Monday 24 June. In this programme were included a visit to Japan House London and the Thames Barrier as well as one-to-one audiences with leaders of Anglo-Japanese community and organisations at the Claridge's Hotel in London. Our CEO, Dr Michael Rivera King, represented The Japan Society in the private audience at Claridge's and had the opportunity to talk amicably with His Majesty about our education and events programme as well as the publication of The Thames and I, his memoirs of the two years studying at Oxford University (1983-1985), which was first published by The Japan Society in 2006 (translated by Sir Hugh Cortazzi, former British Ambassador to Japan and Chair of The Japan Society).


Japan House London	Private Audience at Claridge's	The Thames and I

As part of the private programme within the official State Visit, The Japan Society also hosted a reception for His Majesty The Emperor alongside the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the UK, Japan Association in the UK, Nippon Club, and The Japanese Women’s Association in Great Britain. The 'Reception with the Japanese Community and Friends of Japan' was held on Monday 24 June 2024 at the London Hilton on Park Lane. We were delighted that His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester, patron of The Japan Society, also joined the reception (see photo gallery below).

During his remarks, His Majesty said: 'It is the connections between peoples that drive our societies forward and which create the foundations for exchanges between countries... It is my wish that our bilateral ties will grow even stronger in the years to come, building on such firm foundations as people-to-people connections.'


Reception with the Japanese Community and Friends of Japan

The State Visit of Their Majesties The Emperor and The Empress of Japan opened officially on Tuesday 25 June with a Horse Guards Parade. Their Majesties King Charles III and The Queen formally greeted the imperial couple before making a State Carriage journey down The Mall to Buckingham Palace for a ceremonial welcome. The Japan Society CEO, Dr Michael Rivera King, was part of the welcoming delegation in the Embassy Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade, and our photographer Gregory Owain captured the carriage procession and the crowds celebrating this special event (see photo gallery below).

In the evening, The King, The Queen and Members of the Royal Family, gave a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace for Their Majesties. Speeches will be made by The King and the Emperor at the beginning of the banquet. Our chair, Bill Emmott, was honoured to receive an invitation to this banquet to represent The Japan Society.

During his speech, The Emperor said: 'It is my sincere hope that both Japan and the UK, as friends like no other, will continue to make untiring efforts for true mutual understanding through exchanges of their people, thereby building an enduring relationship based on friendship, goodwill and cooperation.'

The King's speech at Japan State Visit Banquet
The Emperor's speech at Japan State Visit Banquet (see the Japanese version here)


Horse Guards Parade	Japan State Visit Banquet

On Wednesday 26 June, His Majesty The Emperor visited The Francis Crick Institute and the Royal College of Music. In the evening, His Majesty attended a banquet at Guildhall given by the Lord Mayor of London, Professor Michael Minelli, and City of London Corporation. Dr Michael Rivera King represented The Japan Society at the banquet, along with many friends and partners of the Society, and was inspired by His Majesty's words.

The Emperor's speech at the Banquet at Guildhall (see the Japanese version here)
Lord Mayor of London's speech at the Banquet at Guildhall


The Francis Crick Institute	Royal College of Music	Banquet at Guidhall

The official State Visit finalised on Thursday 27 June. Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress formally bid farewell to Their Majesties The King and Queen at Buckingham Palace in the morning. They then visited the Young V&A Museum, where they viewed the exhibition Japan: from Myths to Manga, St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, to lay a Wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

On Friday 28 June, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Oxford and Oxford University where they both had previously studied. Her Majesty The Empress received an honorary degree from Oxford University at Convocation House. Their Majesties also visited Merton College, where His Majesty The Emperor had been a student, and planted cherry trees in the college grounds, before departing for Japan in the late afternoon.