Netherlands hosts Japan’s emperor Naruhito to boost 400-year ties

Updated: 17/06/2026 - 15:51 GMT+2

The Netherlands welcomed Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to Amsterdam on 17 June during an official visit aimed at celebrating the long-standing relationship between the two countries.

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima hosted a formal ceremony at the Royal Palace, where the royal couples stood for the Dutch and Japanese national anthems and reviewed a ceremonial guard of honour. Children waving Dutch and Japanese flags gathered outside the palace as the imperial and royal families greeted guests and officials. The event also brought together Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema and Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten.

Following the ceremony, the Japanese imperial couple travelled to the National Monument in central Amsterdam to lay a wreath in tribute to victims of war and conflict.

The visit comes as Japan and the Netherlands continue to strengthen diplomatic, economic and cultural cooperation built over more than 400 years of bilateral relations. Historical ties date back to the early seventeenth century, when Dutch traders were among the few Europeans permitted to maintain commercial links with Japan.

The official programme is expected to include meetings and events designed to reinforce those longstanding connections between the two nations.