
TOKYO: The planned state visit by Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to Britain this spring will be postponed in response to the global spread of the new coronavirus, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Thursday.
"Through discussions between the two countries, we concluded that it would be appropriate to reschedule" the Imperial couple's visit to Britain, Suga told a press conference.
The two countries were planning to schedule the Imperial visit for around early May.
At the invitation of Queen Elizabeth II, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako were to make their first official overseas trip since the Emperor's enthronement on May 1 last year.
There is no change in the policy, Suga said.
JIJI Press