Emperor, Empress Watch Volleyball Match of Japan Games

Jiji Press

17:37 JST, October 6, 2024

Saga (Jiji Press)—Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako watched a women’s volleyball match held as part of the Japan Games in the southwestern prefecture of Saga on Sunday.

The match between the teams from the northeastern Japan prefecture of Miyagi and the western prefecture of Hyogo took place at Saga Arena in the city of Saga, the capital of Saga Prefecture.

The Imperial couple were accompanied by Japan Volleyball Association President Shunichi Kawai while they were watching the match.

Empress Masako told Kawai that she and the couple’s daughter, Princess Aiko, were excited when they watched a Japan-Italy volleyball match of the Paris Olympics this summer.

Later on Sunday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako moved to the city of Kashima in Saga Prefecture and inspected Hama Bar, located within the premises of Hizen-Hama Station of Kyushu Railway Co., or JR Kyushu.

The bar, which serves sake, was set up by the Saga prefectural government as part of its regional revitalization initiative.

The couple arrived in the prefecture Saturday.