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Sweden’s King and Queen continue Japanese trip alongside Crown Prince Couple

Day three is in the books for King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden on their trip to Japan. Their Majesties led separate programmes for the morning before reuniting for events in the afternoon and evening.

Yesterday morning, the King attended a business forum while Queen Silvia participated in a conference, organised by Swedish Care International, on dementia where she spoke to those assembled. She said, “It is an incredible thing to see how the interest for and the dedication to this matter have grown over the last two decades and how that dedication and hard work lead to the furthering of the dementia cause in many different fields of society. Today’s meeting is another great testament to this.”

Photo: Kungahuset.se/Instagram

“My relationship with dementia disease is a personal one, and the experiences I have had in my own family has shaped the way I look upon the disease as well as how it affects those who live with it and those around that person. These diseases are not purely medical. They are not just a matter of finding the right medication or treatment. They are rather, in all essence, social diseases that impose great strain on patients, families, caregivers and societies. Therefore, I am committed to doing my part in bringing all these stakeholders together, to meet the challenges with a joint view and vision,” she continued.

King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia later hosted a lunch and invited Crown Prince Naruhito (who will become Emperor next year upon his father’s abdication) and Crown Princess Masako.

Their programme continued with a stop at the construction site of the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games. There they learned about the project’s sustainability and accessibility issues.

Photo: Said Karlsson, Kungahuset.se /Instagram

The evening concluded with their attendance at an anniversary dinner celebrating 150 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sweden. Sweden’s Ambassador to Japan, Magnus Robach was the host, and His Majesty gave a speech during the event focusing on shared issues businesses in both countries face and digitalisation. In part, the King said, “Digitalisation is transforming our societies. Innovation is the key to staying ahead. But also, the key to a sustainable development. To achieve this, we need to make best possible use of talent and creativity.”

He concluded by saying, “Her Majesty and I share a great affection for Japan. Every time we come here, we learn something new about this fascinating country: Its unique history and culture. Its remarkable technological development. We look forward to continuing the friendship and cooperation between our two countries.”

About author

Brittani is from Tennessee, USA. She is a political scientist and historian after graduating with a degree in the topics from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in December 2014. She also holds a master's degree from Northeastern University. She enjoys reading and researching all things regarding the royals of the world. She's been researching, reading, and writing on royalty for over a decade. She became Europe Editor in October 2016, and then Deputy Editor in January 2019, and has been featured on several podcasts, radio shows, news broadcasts and websites including Global News Canada, ABC News Australia, WION India and BBC World News.