Victoria's Official Visit to Japan; April 5-10, 2005

[GrandDuchess]

From Fotomarktplatz: Swedish Crown Princess Victoria ended her four-day visit to Japan with a private visit to the Hakone Open Air Museum in the Hakone-Fuji National Park near Mount Fuji in the Shizuoka Prefecture. The Princess joined thousands of other visitors to walk among the sculptures in the spring sun

[Dennism]

Thanks for these photos. That looks like an cool open air museum. Interesting sculptures they have there.

[Alisa]

Thanks for the photos. Although, it is a pity Victoria couldn't enjoy her private time as the cameras were there...

[Danielle]

Originally Posted by GrandDuchess

From Fotomarktplatz: Swedish Crown Princess Victoria ended her four-day visit to Japan with a private visit to the Hakone Open Air Museum in the Hakone-Fuji National Park near Mount Fuji in the Shizuoka Prefecture. The Princess joined thousands of other visitors to walk among the sculptures in the spring sun

Thank you GrandDuchess for the wonderful photos. There sure are some impressive sculptures. I must go and visit the Museum some day. :)

[HMQueenElizabethII]

She really lovely.Thanks lots for photos.

[GrandDuchess]

This past Saturday, 9 April, Crown Princess Victoria was invited to lunch with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. This is the only pic I've seen so far, it's from the Royal Court (Pressens Bild originally):

[Yennie]

Do you think this was Victorias first earthquake experience? We don´t have many i Sweden :)

"We talked about the earthqake on the way to the airport, but the princess was not worried. She was happy and relaxed,, says the Swedish ambassador Mikael Lindström

http://www.aftonbladet.se/vss/nyhete...629853,00.html

[Dennism]

O, that´s interesting. I thought she was already out of the country by the time of the earthquake. Thanks for the article. I wonder if it was indeed. Yes, not many earthquakes in Sweden. :)

[Josefine]

”Jag är ingen reklampelare”

Volvo ville ”vika ut” Victoria på motorhuv


TOKYO.
Volvos fräcka pr-kupp i Japan misslyckades.
Kronprinsessan Victoria vägrade att vara pinuppa på motorhuven till en av företagets bilar.
– Jag är ingen reklampelare för enskilda företag, sa hon irriterat.

Kronprinsessan Victoria besökte i går den svenska ambassaden i Tokyo där hon invigde en designutställning. Efter intervjuer med pressen var det dags att åka vidare.
Men när Victoria kom ut från ambassaden var hennes svarta limousine borta.

Ville ta ”fräcka bilder”
Iställlet hade Volvo parkerat en av sina bilar på uppfarten till ambassaden.
En fotograf från företaget insisterade plötsligt på att Victoria skulle hoppa upp på huven till bilen så att han kunde få lite ”fräcka bilder”.
Men kronprinsessan vägrade.
– Var är vår bil? frågade hon irriterat en av Säpovakterna, som bara ryckte på axlarna.
Under ett par minuter rådde allmän förvirring innan Victoria ensam fick klara ut situationen.
– Jag är ingen reklampelare för enskilda företag. Jag kan sätta mig i bilen och åka, men jag poserar absolut inte, sa hon.
– Victoria är mycket medveten om att olika företag försöker utnyttja hennes roll i marknadsföring för sina produkter. Och det är det sista hon vill, säger hovmarskalken Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg.

”Se kritiskt på modehusen”
Under sin resa i Japan har Victoria betonat att ungdomar ska vara på sin vakt mot stora företag som försöker påverka dem.
– Jag tycker exempelvis att unga tjejer ska se kritiskt på modehusen och deras märken. För mig är det viktigare att bära kläder som jag tycker om, har Victoria sagt.
Nu väntar två dagars ledighet i Japan. Sedan reser kronprinsessan till Bangladesh för att besöka de katastrofområden som drabbades av tsunamin på annandag jul.

http://www.aftonbladet.se

[Josefine]

can someone help me with a summery i cant get the context right

[Dennism]

Originally Posted by Josefine

”Jag är ingen reklampelare”

Volvo ville ”vika ut” Victoria på motorhuv


TOKYO.
Volvos fräcka pr-kupp i Japan misslyckades.
Kronprinsessan Victoria vägrade att vara pinuppa på motorhuven till en av företagets bilar.
– Jag är ingen reklampelare för enskilda företag, sa hon irriterat.

"I am not an advertisement".

Volvo wanted to "reveal" Victoria on the hood or bonnet of a car.

Volvo´s crass public relations coup backfires.

Crown Princess Victoria declined to be a pinup on the hood for the car company.

"I am not an advertisement for a private company" she said irritably.

Crown Princess Victoria went to the Swedish embassy yesterday in Tokyo to open a Design exhibition. Immediately after interviews with the press, she was to travel onwards. But when Victoria came out of the embassy, each of her black limousines were gone.

"Wanted to take cheeky or audacious or inappropriate photos"

In place of the limos, Volvo had parked their own cars on the ramp to the embassy. A photographer from the company insisted suddenly to Victoria that she should hop up onto the hood of the car so that he could take a few audacious or cool photos. But the Crown Princess declined:

"Where is our car"? She asked, annoyed, the SÄPO(security services) agents, as they only shrugged their shoulders. In the course of a couple of minutes, universal confusion prevailed before Victoria figured out the situation.

"I am not an advertisement for a private(or specific) company. I can seat myself into the car and ride. But I will certainly not pose" she said.

"Victoria is very aware that companies are attempting to use her(and her image) in marketing for their products and that is the last thing that she wants to do" said TRF cult figure Elisabeth Tarras-Wahlberg.

"Critically watch the fashion house"

During her trip to Japan, Victoria accentuated how the youth have to be on their guard against big companies and their attempts to influence them:

"I think for instance about how the youngest girls will look critically at the fashion house on their label. For me it is more important that one is wearing clothes at all" Victoria had said.

Now she has two days of relaxation in Japan. Then the Crown Princess will be leaving for Bangladesh to visit the disaster area that was affected by the tsunami last Boxing Day.

[GrandDuchess]

Here's a new pic of the occasion when Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan hosted a dinner for Crown Princess Victoria, Thursday 7 April, in his Tokyo residence, Togu Palace. Picture from Fotomarktplatz:

[GrandDuchess]

Crown Princess Victoria in Japan on Saturday 9 April when she was invited to lunch with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko accompanied by Princess Sayako. From Fotomarktplatz:

[Lena]

Article from the daily Yomiuri (first seen on the crown princess Mary board). Here is the part on Victoria (I will post the part on Haakon in the norwegian RF-forum):
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/newse/20050415wo42.htm




Swedish princess grows into role



Crown Princess Victoria became heir to the Swedish throne when the law was amended in 1979. Even during her childhood, as a photogenic and bright young girl, she was the focal point of a media circus and sometimes found it difficult coping with the attention.

Now grown up, Princess Victoria is serious about her duty and responsibility and is prepared for the future.

"I don't like to talk about it (the succession) that much. It means that my father is no longer around," she said when asked how she felt about becoming the first Swedish queen in modern history.

"Of course, I feel pressure" on becoming head of state, she said, but added that she now sees it in a different light.

"I look forward to being able to help Swedish people and Sweden," she said. Asked in what way, she said, "I see myself more as an ambassador for Sweden." She has being living up to her aim--as well as visiting Japan, she visited Australia earlier in the year.

Preparing for a foreign trip, she reads background materials the Swedish Embassy provides and meets as many people as possible before leaving Sweden. "I try to be a good ambassador," she said. It may consume a lot of energy, but she seems to enjoy it. "It's fun, because it means that I learn a lot of different things, and it's always exciting, of course," she said.

Princess Victoria made headlines when she visited Kosovo in 2002 and went through military training for three weeks in 2003. When asked of her military adventures, she laughed and described the training as extremely interesting. The training was for troops to be dispatched on peacekeeping operations. "The (Swedish) military has very good teachers. You learn about so many different things. First aid and how to fight fires--things useful in your daily life," she said.

The princess trained alongside ordinary Swedes. "It was wonderful--I met chefs and drivers" and other people from occupations that make up modern Swedish society, she said.

Of her visit to Kosovo, Princess Victoria described it as "study trip" to understand the conflict in the region. She is eager to do more when the opportunity arises. But right now, the Swedish nation is closely watching who the princess will pick as her husband. Although she mentioned no names, Princess Victoria did not shy away from talking about it--in fact she was voluble on the subject.

On the qualifications needed in a future husband, the princess emphasized the ability to handle different situations and a good sense of humor. "Humor takes you a long way. You can survive many situations if you have a sense of humor," she said.

Well, does that mean that she has someone in mind?

"There is someone in my life," Princess Victoria admitted, though she quickly added, "I don't have marriage in mind."

According to news reports, Swedish media have been rife with speculation over whether Princess Victoria will marry boyfriend Daniel Westling, a gym instructor from a small town in central Sweden.

Will the princess follow her Norwegian counterpart by marrying a commoner? Opinion polls suggest that most Swedes support the idea.

"I think the general idea of Swedes is that it's the modern way to marry someone that you love, not necessarily where she or he comes from...Of course, there are more to choose from," she laughed.

Monarchies around the world have faced difficulties in the past few years. In Britain, Prince Charles faced criticism when he married Camilla Parker Bowles earlier this month, while in Japan, the succession issue is looming on the horizon. But their Norwegian and Swedish counterparts seem eager to prove there are still many things a monarchy can achieve.

"(Royals have) a public life," Princess Victoria said. "Your role in society will be different (compared with ordinary citizens)."

Is she ready? "I am preparing," she said quietly, with a smile.

[Josefine]

thank you so much for that article

[mandyy]

Photo of her visit to an elelmentary school in Aichi Prefecture on April 8th

Photo from Yomiuri News

[Josefine]

was there articles in japance newspapers about her visit

[mandyy]

Photos from Aichi news of her visit to the elementary school and Aichi Expo.