Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan are commencing a three-day state visit to the UK.
They will be greeted with a ceremonial welcome and a carriage procession up the Mall, followed by a state banquet hosted by King Charles III at Buckingham Palace.
Due to the ongoing general-election campaign, the Japanese royal couple will not visit Downing Street.
Additionally, the Princess Royal will not attend the state banquet, having been hospitalized after sustaining a head injury, likely caused by a horse.
Royal greeting
State visits combine ancient traditions with contemporary international diplomacy, featuring the red carpet treatment for significant guests.
The visit by the emperor and empress aims to strengthen military, scientific, and cultural ties between the UK and Japan.
This marks the first visit by a Japanese head of state since 1998 and will start with a formal royal greeting at Horse Guards Parade, followed by a procession to Buckingham Palace.
State visits during a general election are rare; typically, they are rescheduled to avoid conflicting with political campaigning.
However, the Japanese visit is proceeding without the customary meeting with the prime minister at 10 Downing Street.
A highlight of this diplomatic gesture is the state banquet in the opulent ballroom of Buckingham Palace.
The King will toast the visitors, often speaking in their native language, and deliver a speech in their honor.
The emperor will then respond.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Keir Starmer will attend the state banquet on Tuesday evening, one of the last formal events before next week’s election.
Nostalgic return
The following night, the two party leaders will participate in a head-to-head TV debate.
Over the next few days, the emperor and empress will visit Westminster Abbey, the Francis Crick Institute, Kew Gardens, and the Royal College of Music.
They will also lay a wreath on Elizabeth II’s tomb in St George’s Chapel, Windsor.
On Friday, after the state visit concludes, they will make a nostalgic return to their former colleges at Oxford University, where they both studied.