The Japanese Imperial family appears to have set its summer schedule. According to a new report from the Japanese Nippon TV channel, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are expected to make official visits to Belgium and the Netherlands next June after receiving invitations from both European countries, government sources told the channel this week. If this trip takes place, it will be the first visit to multiple countries in a single trip since Naruhito and Masako, before ascending to the throne, traveled to New Zealand and Australia in 2002. It will also be a rare public appearance for the Empress, who has largely withdrawn from public life amid concerns about her mental health. Before marrying Naruhito in 1993, the princess, then known as Masako Owada, studied at Harvard and Oxford universities before becoming a professional diplomat. The New York Times reported that most of Masako's problems stemmed from public pressure on her to produce a male heir, as Empress Masako gave birth to a daughter, Princess Aiko, in 2001. During this difficult period, palace officials restricted her travel and phone use, prompting Empress Masako to issue a statement saying she was suffering from 'accumulated mental and physical exhaustion.' In 2018, Emperor Akihito abdicated the throne at the age of 84 to his son Naruhito. Masako, who has suffered from a stress-related disorder for several years, said: 'She is recovering slowly and will try to take on more imperial duties.' There is a long-standing relationship between the Dutch and Japanese royal families. For instance, in 2006, the then-Princes Naruhito and Masako traveled to the Netherlands to rest and recuperate. In 2014, Masako came out of her seclusion and traveled again to the Netherlands to attend the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander, which confirmed the friendly relations between the two families. Meanwhile, the Dutch King visited the Imperial Palace in Japan in 2025. As for Belgium, Naruhito and Masako attended the wedding of then-Prince Philippe in 1999, an event that brought the two royal families together. Additionally, 2026 marks a significant milestone: the 160th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Belgium, making this potential trip an ideal opportunity to renew ties and look to the future.
