Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials do not plan to attend the funeral scheduled for next Monday, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a news conference, Kyodo News reported.
“During Queen Elizabeth’s 70-year reign, the British royal family and the Japanese imperial family have maintained friendly relations for three generations,” including the current emperor’s grandfather and father, Matsuno added.
He reported that the British royal family had invited Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Britain after he ascended the throne in May 2019, but the plan was canceled due to the Corona virus pandemic, and the imperial couple is scheduled to leave Japan next Saturday and return to the homeland on Tuesday.
It is worth noting that the emperor’s decision to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral reflects the deep relationship between the royal and imperial families, as the emperor traditionally does not attend funerals, whether inside or outside the country.