Crown Prince Naruhito and former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda left for South Africa on Monday to attend the funeral of former South African President Nelson Mandela. It is the first time a member of the Imperial family has flown overseas to attend the memorial service of a nonroyal outside the family.
“We have decided to ask Crown Prince Naruhito to attend in honor of the achievements by Mr. Mandela,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a press conference. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko agreed to the idea, saying Mandela established the basis for a democratic South Africa, according to the Imperial Household Agency. [...]
Mandela paid a state visit to Japan in 1995, a year after he assumed the South African presidency. He met with Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess Masako during the visit.