Tokyo: Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido for two days from September 16 to attend a national marine convention, the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday.

It will be the first time for the couple to visit Hokkaido together since March 1999, when they were Crown Prince and Crown Princess. The Emperor may go alone, depending on his wife’s health.

On September 16, the Emperor and Empress will arrive at Kushiro Airport on a special flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. They will then visit the Kushiro wetland wildlife conservation center and have talks with fishermen.

The following day, the Emperor and Empress will attend the opening ceremony of the national marine convention and a fish release event in the town of Akkeshi, as well as visit an oyster breeding facility there.

In November 2020, the Emperor and Empress made an online inspection of a hospital in the Hokkaido city of Kitami in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

JIJI Press