TOKYO: Japan's Emperor Naruhito plans to attend the funeral of Britain's Queen Elizabeth, while Prime Minister Fumio Kishida may also attend, Japanese media said.

It would be Naruhito's first overseas trip since acceding to the throne in May 2019. Empress Masako has also expressed a wish to attend, and the Japanese government is arranging their trip, NTV, TBS and other media said on Friday (Sep 10), citing government sources.

Kishida is considering attending the funeral, which Britain says will be held in a little more than a week, before visiting New York for the United Nations General Assembly late in the month, TV Asahi reported on Saturday. US President Joe Biden has said he will attend the funeral of Britain's longest-reigning monarch.

The Prime Minister's Office and Imperial Household Agency could not immediately be reached outside business hours for comment on the reports.

The British royals and Japan's imperial family have longstanding ties. The emperor had been invited to Britain by the queen in 2020, but the trip was postponed due to the pandemic.
Source: CNA
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