STORY: :: Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako
head to Oxford on the last day of their UK visit
:: June 28, 2024
:: The imperial couple both studied at
the University of Oxford in the 1980s
The 64-year-old emperor attended Oxford's Merton College in 1983-1986, while his wife Empress Masako, 60, studied international relations in the late 1980s down the road at Balliol College.
Tracing its history back to 1096, the University of Oxford is the oldest in the English-speaking world, famous as a prestigious seat of learning which has educated dozens of British prime ministers including the current one, Rishi Sunak.
Before his trip, Naruhito had said he was looking forward to visiting Oxford with his wife as it would be the first time they would spend time there together in the city with its winding lanes and honey-colored gothic spires.
