Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited the Brussels City Hall on June 23 [1] to meet with local citizens and students.

The visit serves as a key component of a broader diplomatic effort to strengthen friendly relations between Japan and Belgium. By engaging with the Japanese community abroad, the imperial couple reinforces cultural ties and visibility for the diaspora in Europe.

Standing on the balcony of the city hall, which is located in a square registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Emperor and Empress waved to crowds of citizens [1]. The couple is currently on a state visit to the Netherlands and Belgium that began on June 13 [2] and is scheduled to last approximately two weeks [2].

During the event, the imperial couple interacted with children from the local Japanese school and Belgian youth. The conversations were conducted in English and French. Empress Masako asked the children, "What subject do you like? Is school fun?" [3].

Following an interaction with one of the students, the Empress noted the child's academic preferences. "His favorite subject is arithmetic, I hear," she said [3].

This engagement with youth is a recurring theme of the current tour, which aims to foster goodwill across generations. The visit to Brussels concludes a series of high-profile diplomatic engagements across the region designed to bolster bilateral cooperation [2].

“"His favorite subject is arithmetic, I hear,"”

The imperial couple's use of English and French during the Brussels visit highlights a strategic effort to project Japan's soft power and diplomatic openness. By focusing on the Japanese school community and local children, the visit emphasizes people-to-people diplomacy over purely formal state functions, signaling a desire to maintain strong cultural bridges within the European Union.