Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited the Peace Palace in The Hague on Thursday as state guests of the Netherlands [1].
This visit marks the first time the Emperor has visited the Netherlands as a state guest since his accession. The trip emphasizes Japan's commitment to global peace and the preservation of historical memory regarding the devastation of war.
The imperial couple attended a memorial service at the Peace Palace, which houses the International Court of Justice [1]. During the ceremony, the Emperor and Empress observed a period of silent prayer lasting one minute and 30 seconds [1]. This duration was longer than the approximately one-minute silence observed during a previous visit in 2000 [1].
Following the silence, Emperor Naruhito issued a statement regarding the necessity of remembering the tragedies of the Second World War. He focused on the responsibility of the current generation to ensure that the hardships of the past are not forgotten by those who follow.
"We must pass on the miserable experiences and hardships to future generations so that the sadness is not repeated," the Emperor said [2].
The visit included a luncheon where the couple continued to discuss the importance of international cooperation and peace [1]. The Emperor's remarks underscore a consistent theme of his reign: the desire to act as a symbol of peace and reconciliation on the world stage.
By visiting the Peace Palace, a site dedicated to the resolution of international disputes through law, the Japanese monarchy aligns its symbolic role with the promotion of a rules-based international order. The visit serves as a diplomatic bridge between the two nations while acknowledging the shared global trauma of the mid-20th century [1, 2].
“"We must pass on the miserable experiences and hardships to future generations so that the sadness is not repeated,"”
The Emperor's specific focus on the 'miserable experiences' of war at the Peace Palace reinforces Japan's post-war identity as a pacifist nation. By extending the duration of the silent prayer compared to his 2000 visit, the Emperor signals an intensified commitment to historical reflection as the generation of direct war survivors continues to diminish.
