State Visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan

Published 14 January 2020

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan have accepted an invitation from Her Majesty The Queen to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom in Spring 2020.

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress (Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako) will stay at Windsor Castle.

Notes to Editors

Further details of the State Visit programme will be announced in due course.

The Queen has hosted two previous State Visits from Japan; His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus (Akihito) and Her Majesty the Empress Emerita (Michiko) made a State Visit to the UK in May 1998; and Emperor Showa (Hirohito) and Empress Kojun (Nagako) made a State Visit to the UK in October 1971.

His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus (Akihito) and Her Majesty the Empress Emerita (Michiko) also visited Her Majesty twice during The Queen’s reign. In May 2007, Their Majesties were welcomed to Buckingham Palace for an evening with Her Majesty as part of a three day visit to the United Kingdom. In May 2012, His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus (Akihito) attended a luncheon for Sovereign Monarchs at Windsor Castle to commemorate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee.

The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh have made one State Visit to Japan during Her Majesty’s reign; in May 1975 (Emperor Showa).

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