At the invitation of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander, His Majesty Emperor Naruhito of Japan will pay a state visit to the Netherlands. Emperor Naruhito will be accompanied by Her Majesty Empress Masako. The state visit will take place from Wednesday 17 June until Friday 19 June 2026 and will reaffirm the close and long-standing ties between Japan and the Netherlands. Bilateral relations between the two countries go back 426 years. Although the nature of the relationship was initially primarily economic, today it also encompasses security, innovation, defence, economic resilience and the international legal order.
Japan is the Netherlands’ fourth largest trading partner in Asia. Both countries are committed to maintaining and strengthening open and free trade, and reliable supply chains.
Japan and the Netherlands are also working together on innovation in quantum technology, semiconductors, high-tech horticulture, the energy transition and future-proof healthcare. In addition, the two countries exchange knowledge on water, climate adaptation and reducing the risk of natural disasters. Japan is an enduring source of inspiration for the Dutch cultural sector, especially when it comes to uniting contemporary design and centuries-old crafts.
In October 2014, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima paid a state visit to Japan. And, in May 2025, King Willem-Alexander visited Japan during Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai.
Wednesday 17 June
Morning
Welcome ceremony
King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will officially welcome Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Dam Square in Amsterdam. After the delegations have been introduced, the Johan Willem Friso Royal Military Band will play both countries’ national anthems. This will be followed by an inspection of the guard of honour. At the Royal Palace in Amsterdam the Dutch dignitaries will be introduced, after which a reception will be held.
On the occasion of the state visit, Japanese objects from the Royal Collections of the Netherlands and other works of art highlighting Japan and the Netherlands’ shared history will be presented in the Throne Room. Members of the public will also be able to view these items this summer.
Wreath-laying
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will lay a wreath at the National Monument in Dam Square.
Afternoon
Visit to Deltares
In the afternoon King Willem-Alexander and Emperor Naruhito will visit the Deltares knowledge institution in Delft, which promotes flood safety, water security and a healthy subsurface. The visit will feature demonstrations of various facilities for studying the effects of waves and currents. They can for example simulate waves and test the effect of extreme waves on dikes and other flood defences. The visit will also focus on collaboration and knowledge exchange between Deltares and authorities and knowledge institutions in Japan.
Evening
State banquet
In the evening, the King and Queen will host a state banquet at the Royal Palace in Amsterdam. King Willem-Alexander and Emperor Naruhito will both give a speech. Their Royal Highnesses the Princess of Orange, Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Princess Beatrix of the Netherlands, Princess Margriet of the Netherlands and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands will also all attend the state banquet, as will Professor Pieter van Vollenhoven.
Thursday 18 June
Morning
Visit to the States General
On Thursday morning Emperor Naruhito will visit the States General in The Hague. He will meet with Ms Mei Li Vos, President of the Senate, and Mr Thom van Campen, President of the House of Representatives.
Afternoon
Lunch at the Mauritshuis
Prime Minister Rob Jetten will receive the Emperor of Japan at the Mauritshuis museum in The Hague. A lunch, also attended by King Willem-Alexander, will then be held. Discussion over lunch will focus in particular on Japanese-Dutch bilateral relations. The visit to the Mauritshuis Museum will include a view of Vermeer’s painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. The painting will be on temporary loan to the Nakanoshima Museum of Art in Osaka.
Visit to the Peace Palace
Following the lunch at the Mauritshuis, Emperor Naruhito will visit the Peace Palace in The Hague. The tour will include the Japanese Room of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Great Hall of Justice, which serves as the courtroom of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The ICJ celebrates the 80th anniversary this year.
Visit to the University of Leiden
The programme for Thursday afternoon will continue with a visit to Leiden University. In the Academy Building, Emperor Naruhito and King Willem-Alexander will view a temporary exhibition of objects from the Leiden Japanese collections and visit the ‘Sweat Room’, where graduates write their name on the wall and the Senate Chamber. The Emperor and King will then be given a tour of the Hortus Botanicus, including the Japanese garden. The visit to Leiden will end with a meeting with students and researchers.
Friday 19 June
Morning
Visit to the Princess Máxima Center
On Friday morning Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako and King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima will visit the Princess Máxima Center for paediatric oncology in Utrecht. After a welcome from children, their parents and hospital staff, the delegation will visit the research wing. Scientists will give presentations on the Clinical Trials & Data Center, which facilitates research through knowledge and data, and on collaboration in implementing clinical studies with partner organisations in Japan. This will be followed by a roundtable with Japanese staff from the Princess Máxima Center and staff from the Clinical Trials & Data Center. The morning programme will close with a tour including a visit to a parent-child room.
Afternoon
Planting a tree in the Amsterdamse Bos
Emperor Naruhito will plant a cherry tree in the Cherry Blossom Park in the Amsterdamse Bos (Amsterdam Forest). He will also visit the monument to remember the victims of the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan on 11 March 2011. The Cherry Blossom Park is much-loved by the Japanese community in and around Amsterdam. The 400 cherry trees, symbolising ties between the Netherlands and Japan, were gifted by the Amsterdam Japanese Women’s Club (JWB) in 2000.
Government Information Service, no. 163