Dutch State Visit to Japan: October 29-31, 2014


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
It's not often that a king comes face-to-face with an emperor but that is exactly what happened when the Netherland's King Willem-Alexander was welcomed to Japan by the country's Emperor Akhito.
The Dutch royals are beginning a six-day tour of the country, and were greeted by an honour guard as they arrived in the Japanese capital.
After a visit to a design museum and a gorgeous oriental garden, the two finished their first day with a lavish state banquet thrown in their honour.

Queen Maxima and husband Willem-Alexander join Emperor Akhito and Empress Michako | Daily Mail Online
 
Any idea why the empress didn´t wear a tiara?
Don´t get me wrong, I really do like the japanese imperial family, but I will never understand why the ladies seem to wear always the same but in different colours...? These hats, never being flattering, look exactly the same since about 20 years!
But, to say something positive, I like seeing the CPss using a tiara I´ve never seen her used! Queen Máxima looked beautiful as always.
 
:previous:
Empress Michiko is said to take some religious vows. So this means that we may never see her wearing a tiara again. It would be great, if a TRF member from Japan can either confirm or deny it. As we know, the Japanese Imperial ladies never break the protocol without a really good reason.
 
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The Empress stopped wearing tiaras a couple of years ago when doctors advised her to do so. Iirc she had problems with her spine.

CP Masako has worn this fringe style parure for several years. She regularly arrives for the New Year Receptions, but does not attend the official part of the event. So usually there are only pictures of her arriving in their car, and these pictures don't reach the front pages.
 
It's so nice to see CP Masako there , smiling and apparently happy. I believe she has a genuine friendship with Maxima.
 
Its a great homage to the Dutch king and queen that masako attends these events. It looks to me that this is the best way masako could say thanks to maxima for her help. These two appear to be such a close bunch. Lovely to see that masako is getting some support from overseas. :) lovely to see them also with the emperor and empress. I wonder whether they have met previously. Maxima s friendship with Masako makes me think that's the case but wonder where as the imperial couple don't seem to travel much abroad and WA and maxima haven't been on official visit to japan before if I can well remember...


And doesn't the queen look fantastic in the new tiara? How beautiful!


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:previous:They certainly must have met before, but I don't know how often. Eg the Empror, the Empress, WA and Maxima all attended the diamond jubilee of King Bhumibol in 2006.

A beautiful picture of CP Masako: PPE Agency

I wonder what Princess Kiko thinks about all the attention her sister-in-law is getting. She's probably green with envy:p.
 
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Its a great homage to the Dutch king and queen that masako attends these events. It looks to me that this is the best way masako could say thanks to maxima for her help. These two appear to be such a close bunch. Lovely to see that masako is getting some support from overseas. :) lovely to see them also with the emperor and empress. I wonder whether they have met previously. Maxima s friendship with Masako makes me think that's the case but wonder where as the imperial couple don't seem to travel much abroad and WA and maxima haven't been on official visit to japan before if I can well remember...


And doesn't the queen look fantastic in the new tiara? How beautiful!


Sent from my iPhone using The Royals Community mobile app

The Dutch Crown Prince already met the Japanese Crown Prince when he was just 18 years old and made an overseas trip:
HIH Princess Michiko
HIH Prince Naruhito
HRH The Prince of Orange
HIH The Crown Prince of Japan
HIH Princess Sayako
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/748/48504-800-592.jpg

When King Willem-Alexander was only four, his mother already welcomed the present Emperor's parents, Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun, at Soestdijk Palace, the private residence of Queen Juliana:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/483/47664-800-611.jpg

In 1979 Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko also made a private trip to the Netherlands and were received by Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus, including a private diner at Soestdijk Palace, with Queen Juliana:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/233/244638-800-536.jpg

The very first outgoing State Visit of the young Prince of Orange, as escort to his mother, went to Japan, back in 1991. Back then Queen Beatrix wore another of those magnificent pearl diadems in the rich Orange-Nassau collection:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/518/53917-800-562.jpg

A couple of years ago the crown princely family spent a holiday at the Queen's hunting lodge in the East of the Netherlands:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagen...lped-by-queen-maxima/0-83-598/masako-1--a.jpg

Last year Princess Masako made her first official foreign trip in more than a decade to attend the Investiture of King Willem-Alexander:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagen...lped-by-queen-maxima/0-83-600/masako-3--a.jpg

Yesterday Princess Masako, for the first time in 11 years, did attend a statee banquet, in honour of King Willem-Alexander:
http://www.hola.com/imagenes/realez...asako-japon/0-293-980/maxima-holanda-17-a.jpg
 
:previous:
This style of dresses is Empress Michiko's signature. It is said to incorporate some details from kimono into a European style dresses or jackets.
 
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The Empress stopped wearing tiaras a couple of years ago when doctors advised her to do so. Iirc she had problems with her spine.

CP Masako has worn this fringe style parure for several years. She regularly arrives for the New Year Receptions, but does not attend the official part of the event. So usually there are only pictures of her arriving in their car, and these pictures don't reach the front pages.
How many state visits they have a year? how many opportunities in a year she has to use a tiara? I wonder really because for a few hours that she use a tiara a few times a year I do not think it is a reason of headchaes or spine not to use the! must be some other reason!?????
 
How many state visits they have a year? how many opportunities in a year she has to use a tiara? I wonder really because for a few hours that she use a tiara a few times a year I do not think it is a reason of headchaes or spine not to use the! must be some other reason!?????

Well, it is said that Queen Beatrix kept away from the big guns, and when she was wearing one, it was so tilted backwards and hidden in the hairdo because she found it uncomfortable.

Her most favourite diadem is Queen Emma's floral motif diamond diadem, worn in the lightest version (without the diamond stars on top): http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/638/2203770-800-529.jpg

So the Empress is not the only one to keep away from (heavy) diadems.

:flowers:
 
How many state visits they have a year? how many opportunities in a year she has to use a tiara? I wonder really because for a few hours that she use a tiara a few times a year I do not think it is a reason of headchaes or spine not to use the! must be some other reason!?????
The Japanese Imperial family is all about duty, and I doubt that the Empress would have stopped wearing tiaras for anything but a good reason. She's an elderly lady who gave up playing tennis because of her health. It's often difficult to understand other people's sicknesses if you don't suffer from them yourself. But if, for example, a couple of hours of tiara wearing result in a couple of days of back aches, a stiff neck, a severe headache or what ever, then it is not worth it, imo. (As much as I love to see tiaras worn, I also know too well from own experience how debilitating chronic pains are.)

That said, there are not many tiara events for the Empress, apart from the New Years Reception which is held on a yearly basis. I noticed that they only wear tiaras at State Banquets for othe monarchies, like the visit from the UAE in 2012. But there were no tiaras for the visit from Bhutan.
But maybe some other poster knows more details about this :flowers:?
 
I agree Tilia C - the Empress wore a neck-brace for quite some time a year or two ago and I can only imagine that even a small tiara might cause her problems for a day or two after wearing one, or it might be that a tara induces headaches as they need to be quite securely anchored with pins etc.
 
The Dutch Crown Prince already met the Japanese Crown Prince when he was just 18 years old and made an overseas trip:
HIH Princess Michiko
HIH Prince Naruhito
HRH The Prince of Orange
HIH The Crown Prince of Japan
HIH Princess Sayako
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/748/48504-800-592.jpg

When King Willem-Alexander was only four, his mother already welcomed the present Emperor's parents, Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun, at Soestdijk Palace, the private residence of Queen Juliana:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/483/47664-800-611.jpg

In 1979 Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko also made a private trip to the Netherlands and were received by Princess Beatrix and Prince Claus, including a private diner at Soestdijk Palace, with Queen Juliana:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/233/244638-800-536.jpg

The very first outgoing State Visit of the young Prince of Orange, as escort to his mother, went to Japan, back in 1991. Back then Queen Beatrix wore another of those magnificent pearl diadems in the rich Orange-Nassau collection:
http://fast.mediamatic.nl/f/tqgr/image/518/53917-800-562.jpg

A couple of years ago the crown princely family spent a holiday at the Queen's hunting lodge in the East of the Netherlands:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagen...lped-by-queen-maxima/0-83-598/masako-1--a.jpg

Last year Princess Masako made her first official foreign trip in more than a decade to attend the Investiture of King Willem-Alexander:
http://www.hellomagazine.com/imagen...lped-by-queen-maxima/0-83-600/masako-3--a.jpg

Yesterday Princess Masako, for the first time in 11 years, did attend a statee banquet, in honour of King Willem-Alexander:
http://www.hola.com/imagenes/realez...asako-japon/0-293-980/maxima-holanda-17-a.jpg

The Dutch couple also visited Japan for the Expo in 2005
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...s-visit-to-japan-april-16-19-2005-a-5696.html
 
According to prime minister Abe, Princess Beatrix is a big fan of sushi and frequently has them delivered to her home.

He also stated that he was proud that the first state visit outside of Europe of king WA is to Japan. He also showed his support for the family of the people of the Air Malaysia flight that was shot down by Russian terrorists in the Ukraine this summer.
 
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:previous: Looking at the faces of Willem-Alexander, Maxima, Naruhito and Masako there appears real joy and happiness. Masako's suit was the perfect tribute to her guests.

It's just so good to see Masako twice in one day!
 
:previous:
This style of dresses is Empress Michiko's signature. It is said to incorporate some details from kimono into a European style dresses or jackets.

Lol! That explains it.
I rather like it.
 
I was wondering if queen Maxima is not wearing hats on purpose ( in order not to tower too much over the hosts....)
 
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I was wondering if queen Maxima is not wearing hats on purpose ( in order not to tower too much over the hosts....)

Is she not?
 
The speech of the king at the state banquet, the references to the war are not as veiled as some expected:

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Speech by His Majesty the King at the state banquet on the occasion of the State Visit to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, Tokyo
29 oktober 2014
29 October 2014

Your Majesty,

It is a great pleasure for my wife and I to be here as your and Empress Michiko's guests. And we are all the more grateful that Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako are here to welcome us too. I have visited your country on many occasions. But this is the first time that I am here as King of the Netherlands. Our first State Visit outside Europe is to your country. A country with which we share a unique history and - we are sure - a successful future.

Let me quote a haiku written in 1679 by the great poet Basho:

Oranda mo
Hana ni kinikeri
Uma ni kura

The Dutchmen too have
come to see the cherry blooms
Saddle my horse!

It is now autumn, not spring. Yet I wanted to bring this poem to mind. It recalls a time when the Dutch were the only Westerners permitted to enter your country.

For over 200 years, the Dutch trading post of Deshima was the only link between Japan and the West. A narrow bridge between two worlds - two civilisations. A bridge which carried not only spices, sugar, textiles and copper, but also books, instruments, artworks,
knowledge and ideas.

The city of Nagasaki deserves praise for the restoration of this historic site and the reconstruction of the bridge. I hope I'll get a chance to walk across it one day.

Deshima was the place where we learnt each other's language and studied each other's science and culture. An important role was played here by Japan's rangakusha, who studied Western learning through Dutch texts. In fact, a man who spoke Dutch - the renowned Fukuzawa Yukichi *- graces your 10,000 yen notes to this day. It is fascinating to think that for so many years, Japan looked out at the Western world through a small Dutch window.

Your Majesty,
Even when Japan opened up to the rest of the world, the relationship between our countries remained close. For instance in the fields of medical science and water management. The Dutch engineer Johannis de Rijke is still famous in your country.

We realise, though, that even back then, Japan had a long tradition of hydraulic expertise. Deshima, for example, was an engineering triumph. An artificial island in the sea, built on piles, which survived many a typhoon.

We will not forget the history of our forefathers. Their hard work, their creativity, their achievements and their interaction shaped the world in which we now live. Their history will never be 'over'. Its fruits will remain with us - both the sweet and the bitter.

So we will not forget - cannot forget - the experiences of Dutch civilians and soldiers in the Second World War. The wounds inflicted in those years continue to overshadow many people's lives. Grief for the victims endures to this day. Memories of imprisonment, forced labour and humiliation have left scars on the lives of many.

The Japanese people, too, suffered terribly during the war, especially in the final phase, marked by such destructive violence.

Acknowledging the suffering of others provides a foundation for reconciliation. Many in Japan and the Netherlands have actively worked to foster such reconciliation, enabling new trust to grow.

For centuries, a tiny bridge only five metres wide was the only link between our two countries. Today, countless bridges of friendship and partnership connect Japan and the Netherlands. Across the seas, the skies and cyberspace.

Over 450 Japanese businesses are active in the Netherlands. They directly employ over 35,000 Dutch people. In turn, Dutch entrepreneurs and experts are contributing to economic advances in Japan.

We are working closely to find sustainable sources of energy. The Netherlands is also glad to be able to help rebuild the horticulture sector in Miyagi, one of the regions hit so hard by
the tsunami in 2011.

A key issue in both Japan and the Netherlands is how to safeguard prosperity and quality of life in an ageing society. It will take brain power and resolve to ensure sustainable growth in the long term. The reforms that are needed are not simple. But if there are two countries that can inspire one another in this field, they are Japan and the Netherlands. When I look at the dynamic role played by designers, researchers, artists and creative entrepreneurs in our two countries, I think: together we can achieve so much. I hope that our visit will help drive this idea home.

The same applies to our joint commitment to the international legal order, and to peace and security. Japan is dedicated to peace and is examining the best way to foster peace in today's world, with a more proactive contribution. The Netherlands appreciates these efforts and we recall with admiration the humanitarian role played by Japan in Al Mutannah between 2004 and 2006. There, in Iraq, our troops worked side by side.

Your Majesty,
The tone for our cooperation was set over four centuries ago by Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. In 1609 he wrote to my ancestor Prince Maurits: 'If two countries strive to achieve the same goal, surely there can be no objection, however far apart they might lie. Your vessels may anchor in every port. Let us from now on deepen our friendship even more.'

That age-old wish is one that we share.

I would like to invite everyone present to raise their glasses to your health, Your Majesty, to the health of Empress Michiko and of the members of your family. May the friendship between Japan and the Netherlands blossom and bear fruit in the years to come!

Thank you.

Speech by His Majesty the King at the state banquet on the occasion of the State Visit to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan, Tokyo - Het Koninklijk Huis

Was Prince Maurits actually an anscestor of the king, as WA says? The prince only had illegitemate descendants. His offspring married into the nobility so I suppose it is possible that WA descends from him one way or the other, but I do not know how.

*******

It seems that the Daily Mail has more reports on the visit than the Dutch newspapers have.

--
Apparentlly the royal party will travel to South Korea tomorrow.
 
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