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Imperial succession

Hirofumi Nakasone, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's constitutional reform headquarters, speaks to reporters at the party headquarters in Tokyo on June 29, 2026, saying he regrets having said inappropriately the previous day that Princess Aiko cannot become emperor under Japan's current succession law.

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Imperial succession

Hirofumi Nakasone, head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's constitutional reform headquarters, delivers a speech in Takaoka in Toyama Prefecture, central Japan, on June 28, 2026, saying Princess Aiko cannot become emperor under Japan's current succession law.

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Emperor, empress return home

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (back, 2nd from L) and Empress Masako (behind him) are greeted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front, R) upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Emperor, empress return home

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (front, L) and Empress Masako (behind him) are greeted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (front, R) upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Emperor, empress return home

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (front, L) and Empress Masako are greeted upon arrival at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. Standing behind them is Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. (Pool photo)

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Emperor, empress return home

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko (C) wave with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as a government plane carrying Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrives at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium.

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Emperor, empress return home

Japan's Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko (C) wave with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as a government plane carrying Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrives at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium.

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Emperor, empress return home

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium.

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Emperor, empress return home

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at Tokyo's Haneda airport on June 26, 2026, following their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium.

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, C) visits the plenary session room of the House of Representatives at the Belgian Federal Parliament in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, C) visits the plenary session room of the House of Representatives at the Belgian Federal Parliament in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (C) talks with President of the House of Representatives Peter De Roover (R) and Speaker of the Senate Vincent Blondel at the Belgian Federal Parliament in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, C) visits the Senate at the Belgian Federal Parliament building in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

(From L) President of the Belgian House of Representatives Peter De Roover, Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Speaker of the Senate Vincent Blondel pose for a photo at the Belgian Federal Parliament building in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (3rd from R) attends a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (3rd from L) at the prime minister's official residence in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's emperor in Brussels

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (3rd from R) attends a meeting with Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever (3rd from L) at the prime minister's official residence in Brussels on June 23, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R) and Empress Masako (far R) bid farewell at Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, before flying back to Japan following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wave as they leave for home from Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wave as they leave for home from Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako wave as they leave for home from Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (on a red carpet) bid farewell at Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, before flying back to Japan following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's imperial couple leave Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (on a red carpet) bid farewell at Melsbroek Air Base on the outskirts of Brussels on June 25, 2026, before flying back to Japan following their two-week official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Japanese nationals living in Belgium before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (far L) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Japanese nationals living in Belgium before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Japanese nationals living in Belgium before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (C) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Japanese nationals living in Belgium before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (C, L) and Empress Masako (C, R) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Japanese nationals living in Belgium before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (L) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Belgians with ties to Japan before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (L) and Empress Masako visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Belgians with ties to Japan before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (far L) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Belgians with ties to Japan before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo) ==Kyodo

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Belgians with ties to Japan before flying back to Japan. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (C) visit the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Belgium in Brussels on June 25, 2026, for informal talks with Belgians with ties to Japan before flying back to Japan.(Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (far R) and Empress Masako (2nd from R) bid farewell to Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde after taking a stroll in a botanical garden at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. The Japanese imperial couple will fly to Japan later in the day, wrapping up their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (far R) and Empress Masako (2nd from R) bid farewell to Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde after taking a stroll in a botanical garden at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. The Japanese imperial couple will fly to Japan later in the day, wrapping up their official trip to the Netherlands and Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) pose for a photo with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde during a stroll at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) pose for a photo with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde during a stroll at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) take a stroll with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in a botanical garden at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. (Pool photo)

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Japan emperor, empress in Brussels

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (far L) and Empress Masako (2nd from L) take a stroll with Belgian King Philippe and Queen Mathilde in a botanical garden at the Palace of Laeken in Brussels on June 25, 2026. (Pool photo)

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, L) and Belgian King Philippe (front, R) are pictured after visiting KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium.

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, L) and Belgian King Philippe (front, R) are pictured after visiting KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium.

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Japan's Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (3rd from R), accompanied by Belgium's King Philippe (2nd from R), visits the library at KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium.

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Japan's Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (L) visits the library at KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium.

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R), accompanied by Belgium's King Philippe (R), visits the library at KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium.

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Japan's Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (2nd from R), accompanied by Belgium's King Philippe (L), visits the library at KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during his official visit to Belgium.

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (front, L) and Belgian King Philippe (front, 2nd from R) are pictured after visiting KU Leuven, a Catholic research university in the city of Leuven, on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (L) and Belgium's King Philippe (2nd from L) are greeted by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Maxime Prevot (R) in Namur on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (C) alongside Belgium's King Phillipe (R) reacts during a welcome ceremony upon arrival in Namur on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (C) and Belgium's King Philippe (R) pose for a photo upon arrival in Namur on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (L) chats with Belgium's King Philippe upon arrival in Namur on June 24, 2026, during the emperor's official visit to Belgium. (Pool photo)

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Japan's Emperor Naruhito in Belgium

Japan's Emperor Naruhito meets the press in Namur on June 24, 2026, during his official trip to Belgium.