Emperor Naruhito's Visit to Britain Concludes With a Return to Oxford

On the final day of their week-long stay in Britain, Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako went to the university city of Oxford. They had both studied there in the 1980s.

At Balliol College, they met the university's outspoken chancellor Christopher Patten. He is noted for his tough stance on China, having previously been the governor of Hong Kong. Lord Patten has also been the chairman of the Conservative Party. 

However, there was no open discussion about politics. Instead, the focus was on education and collaboration. This was symbolized when the Emperor planted a cherry tree, as well-wishers waved Japanese and British flags.

Emperor Naruhito studied at Merton College from 1983 to 1985. While there, he wrote a thesis on transportation on the River Thames during the 18th century. He was crown prince at the time. The Empress was part of a Japanese foreign ministry program that arranged for diplomats to go abroad to study. The couple did not meet each other during the time they lived in the United Kingdom.

Poignant Memories

The tour of Oxford was likely to have evoked happy memories of their time living in the city. It was less grand than the formal state element of the visit, which was filled with royal pomp. Highlights included a trip down the Mall in a horse-drawn carriage and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday.

The imperial couple returned to the palace to say goodbye to King Charles and Queen Camilla on Thursday. They did not go to Downing Street for a meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, as the UK is about to hold a general election. However, Mr Sunak and other political leaders attended the banquet.

Emperor Naruhito told reporters that he enjoyed "a very heartwarming time" with the British royals. He said he was pleased to have rekindled friendship with Prince William and others.

On Thursday morning, Emperor Naruhito visited St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle and laid flowers at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip.

"I visited the tomb as a sincere gesture of gratitude for all they did for me and for their kindness," said the Emperor.

Musical Performance

The Emperor also visited the Royal College of Music in London and listened to recitals by some of its students. He was shown the college's new Performance Laboratory, which uses clever technology to enable people to practice for live performances in concert halls.  

Otoha Tabata, an RCM Master's student who performed the viola in the Performance Laboratory, described how she was "incredibly honored and thankful to receive this unique chance to perform for His Majesty The Emperor." 

Garden of Delights

On Thursday, the Emperor went to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, on the outskirts of London. It is home to the Millennium Seed Bank project which safely stores samples from many species with the goal of securing biodiversity.

Kew Gardens grows rare plants from all over the world, including many from Japan. It is also currently showcasing sculptures of bonsai trees, cast in bronze by the British artist, Mark Quinn. Elsewhere, visitors are invited to calmly meditate beside a Zen-style garden, formed of gravel that has been raked into waves.

"We have had a longstanding and close relationship with Japan, which can be seen through several beautiful structures in our landscape, but also in our living collections as well as our economic botany and art collection," Kew's director Richard Deverell, told the New York Times.

During the trip to Kew, the Emperor met Masumi Yamanaka, a botanical artist. She is noted for her painting of the Miracle Pine. It became a symbol of hope after the Great East Japan Earthquake and 2011 tsunami, The pine was the only surviving tree of the Takata Pine Forest, which was almost obliterated by the disaster. 

Pioneering Scientists

Emperor Naruhito also used his trip to the UK to meet scientists who are doing pioneering work in the field of medical research. He went to the Francis Crick Institute in St Pancras in central London, where he spoke with experts including Eiko Ozono and Toshinari Miyauchi. Both are part of an international team tackling cancer. 

There were also discussions about vaccine development, pandemic preparedness and diagnosing severe infections in children. The tour was conducted by the Crick's Director, Paul Nurse, and the institute's Research Coordinator, Ryoko Mandeville.

Mr Nurse said: "It is an honor to welcome Emperor Naruhito to the Crick. These visits are important to shine a light on the role science plays in international relations and cross-border collaboration. Science is a global endeavor and we hope that collaborations with researchers in Japan continue to strengthen for years to come."

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Author: Duncan Bartlett, Diplomatic Correspondent
Mr Bartlett is the Diplomatic Correspondent for JAPAN Forward and a Research Associate at the SOAS China Institute. Read his other articles and essays.