A State Visit by the Emperor and Empress of Japan will take place next week and a Monmouthshire man Keith Dunn OBE, from Shirenewton in Chepstow who is the Honorary Consul for Japan in Wales, has been invited to attend a State Banquet that is taking place at Buckingham Palace and hosted by the King with other members of the Royal family in attendance.
Mr Dunn will also attend a further banquet hosted by the Lord Mayor and City of London Corporation at the Guildhall which will be attended by the Emperor which will also see the The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh in attendance.
There had been speculation that the visit might be postponed because of the general election taking place on 4 July.
The visit, from 25 to 27 June, will include traditional highlights such as the State Banquet hosted by the King and a carriage parade along the Mall.
The King will host the visit a week before the general election.
State visits take place on the advice of the government, with the King hosting events as head of state.
There are currently over 60 Japanese owned companies operating in Wales – Sony, Sharp, Toyota, GS Yuasa, Princes Soft Drinks to name but a few – employing over 8,400 people.
Welsh exports to Japan have risen significantly in recent years, with £1 billion worth of Welsh goods heading to Japan over the last 5 years. In 2023 Welsh exports to Japan were worth more than £218 million and imports to Wales from Japan £521 million. 3.7% of Wales’s imports come from Japan.
Some of the produce that Wales exports to Japan include: Welsh lamb, Anglesey sea salt, Carmarthen ham, Conwy mussels, Pembrokeshire early potatoes, traditional Welsh Caerphilly cheese, traditional Welsh cider, laver bread, Welsh beef, Welsh wine, bottled water and Welsh Whisky.
The state banquet is a centrepiece of such visits, with speeches and, in recent times, greetings from the King in the language of the visiting dignitaries.
This will be the first Japanese state visit to the UK since 1998, with a visit planned for 2020 cancelled because of the Covid pandemic.
It will be the first state visit in modern times to take place during an election campaign.
Commenting on the State Visit Mr Dunn said,
“I am delighted to have been invited to the State Banquets. There is much to celebrate with our strong link with Japan and I am delighted as Honorary Consul in Wales to be representing Wales at these significant events. As an Honorary Consul my duties include providing support for Japanese companies, promoting an understanding of Japan, helping Japanese citizens in emergencies, oversee cultural events and fostering good relations with various organisations, including the Welsh Government and regional authorities.”
