Belgian State Visit to Japan: Day Three and Four

On the third day of the state visit, on Wednesday October 12, Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, along with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, travelled by train to Yuki, a city in the north of Japan.

In Yuki they visited a textile industry where they were given a demostration about the creation of a traditional woven silk textile called Yuki-tsugumi.

Back in Tokyo, Queen Mathilde attended a seminar to promote tourism to Belgium. In the meantime King Philippe was present at the signing of more than 40 commercial, business and academic agreements between the two countries. Later the King had a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the Akasaka Palace, a Guesthouse of the Government of Japan.

In the evening the Royal Couple attended a dinner hosted by the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his wife Akie at the Akasaka Palace. King Philippe held a speech in which he thanked the Prime Minister and also praised the strength of the country during difficult times like after the earthquake of March 2011 and he expressed his delight for the continued collaboration and cooperation between Japan and Belgium in various projects.

Today, Thursday October 13, the fourth day of the state visit, Their Majesties paid a visit to the city of Nagoya. Arriving by train, the Royal Couple began the visit with separate activities.

Queen Mathilde visited the Matsuzakaya Department Store, one of the major Japanese department store that also sell Belgian products. Occasion of the visit was the first anniversary of the twinning between the Japanese store with the Brussels’ luxury shopping district Avenue Louise and to mark the anniversary was given to the store a Manneken-Pis, a famous Belgian small bronze sculpture dressed up as a Smurf.

#BELJAP2016 Belgische producten in Japanse winkel #Matsuzakaya in #Nagoya pic.twitter.com/O6dPYYijpL

— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) October 13, 2016

Meanwhile King Philippe was present at a signing of agreements that will ship the ten millionth car to Belgium. At lunchtime the King and the Queen attended a reception hosted by representatives of the Japanese automobile industry.

Later the Royal Couple paid a visit to the Tokugawa Art Museum. The collection of the Museum contains more than 12,000 items, including swords, armor, Chinese and Japanese ceramics, calligraphy, and paintings from the Chinese Song and Yuan dynasties.

#BELJAP2016 Tokugawa Art Museum #Nagoya: #shogun #art #tradition #Japan pic.twitter.com/U4902e0y03

— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) October 13, 2016

In the evening King Philippe and Queen Mathilde hosted a concert to Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Kioi Hall, a concert hall in Tokyo. At the concert were also present Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako, Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko and their two daughters Princess Mako and Princess Kako.

#BELJAP2016 Concert offered by TTMM the King and the Queen in honour of TTMM the Emperor and the Empress #Tokyo #Belgium #Japan pic.twitter.com/nrNheT6Wbl

— Belgian Royal Palace (@MonarchieBe) October 13, 2016

Filed under Belgium, Japan
Tagged Bilateral Relations, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, Crown Princess Masako of Japan, Emperor Akihito of Japan, Empress Michiko of Japan, King Philippe of the Belgians, Prime Minister Abe of Japan, Prince Akishino of Japan, Princess Kako of Akishino, Princess Kiko of Japan, Princess Mako of Akishino, Queen Mathilde of the Belgians, State Visit.