British Prince William Arrives in Japan

Tokyo, Feb. 26 (Jiji Press)--British Prince William arrived in Japan on Thursday on a four-day trip that includes a visit to northeastern areas devastated by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami. This is the first visit to Japan for the 32-year-old Duke of Cambridge. His wife, Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, did not accompany him as she is expecting their second child in April. After arriving at Tokyo International Airport at Haneda, Prince William joined Tokyo Governor Yoichi Masuzoe to travel across Tokyo Bay by boat to see planned venues for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. Masuzoe explained how Tokyo will host the quadrennial sporting event. In response, Prince William said that he is sure the Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a success, according to Masuzoe. The prince also participated in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony held at Tokyo's Hama-rikyu Gardens in Tokyo's Chuo Ward. At a tea room in the garden, he was served with "usucha" thin tea and "wagashi" traditional Japanese sweets by Sen Genshitsu, former iemoto head master of the Urasenke tea ceremony school. Sen showed Prince William pictures taken when the tea master served his father, British Crown Prince Charles, and his mother, the late Princess Diana, in Kyoto, western Japan, in the past. Prince William told Sen that he wants to come again with his family. He also took a walk in the garden. During his stay in Japan, the prince will take part in an event to promote British cutting-edge technologies and products. The prince will also visit the disaster-hit areas in Fukushima and Miyagi prefectures to meet with victims and people working on reconstruction. END