Japan Imperial Couple’s visit to Indonesia has 2 significant aspects

TOKYO — Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s visit to Indonesia has been officially decided, and there are two major focal points that are drawing attention concerning their June 17 to 23 trip.

The first is that this is the Emperor’s first visit to a foreign country for the purpose of international goodwill since his enthronement. In foreign countries, His Majesty is treated as Japan’s head of state, and his comments and actions there carry much more weight than when he was crown prince. It is hoped that the visit will promote mutual understanding and deepen friendly relations between the two countries.

Indonesia was one of the first countries visited by then Emperor Akihito and then Empress Michiko in 1991, after the Heisei era began in 1989. That visit was widely regarded as a sign of the Japanese government’s “Asia-oriented” diplomatic stance. Since then, a railway opened with Japanese cooperation and a vocational high school was built with the assistance of Japanese companies and other organizations. These are included in the destinations Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit later this month. It will be a trip to confirm the deepening of the friendship between Japan and Indonesia.

When then Emperor Akihito — now Emperor Emeritus — visited Asian countries, great interest was focused on how to deal with the history of the war. Indonesia has a history of being under Japanese military rule for about three and a half years until the end of World War II. It will be interesting to see what kind of message Emperor Naruhito will deliver.

Another significant aspect of the visit is that Empress Masako will be accompanying His Majesty. The Empress, with her rich international experience, was expected to play an active role in the Imperial Family’s activities in international goodwill, but she has not had sufficient opportunities to do so. The great pressure of an unfamiliar environment has caused her to accumulate mental and physical fatigue, and she has been undergoing medical treatment since the end of 2003.

Although her physical condition still fluctuates, the Empress is fulfilling her official duties in Japan and resuming visits to foreign countries for such events as coronation ceremonies, which are relatively less burdensome. This will be her first long-term visit to a foreign country in 21 years, since December 2002, before her recuperation. This time, too, she will attend events while monitoring her physical condition, but it will be a major step forward.

(Japanese original by Hiroyuki Takashima, Tokyo City News Department)