Imperial Family

Emperor, Empress Interact with Students at Local School in Ulaanbaatar during Visit to Mongolia

Pool photo / The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Emperor, third from right, and Empress, second from right, interact with students after a welcome performance at School No. 149 in Ulaanbaatar on Wednesday.

By Takaya Toda / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

14:41 JST, July 10, 2025

ULAANBAATAR — The Emperor and Empress on Wednesday interacted with students at a local school in Ulaanbaatar during their visit as state guests to Mongolia.

Located in a residential area with many traditional mobile homes, called ger, School No. 149 was opened in 2020 with Japanese support. The school enrolls students from the first grade of elementary school to the third grade of high school. The students welcomed the Imperial couple by singing a song in Japanese by the popular band Ikimonogakari. The Emperor and Empress applauded the performance and interacted with students.

The Emperor introduced himself, saying, “My name is Naruhito,” while the Empress told some students, “Your Japanese is wonderful.”

After that, the Imperial couple visited the Mongolia-Japan Hospital, the first university hospital in Mongolia established with Japanese financial assistance. They met with doctors and nurses who had previously studied in Japan.

Earlier the same day, the Emperor visited the Mongol Kosen College of Technology, which is modeled on the Japanese technical college system. After touring the school, he met with students, graduates and other parties.

“It is great that you have found a job,” the Emperor said to a 20-year-old Mongolian who plans to start working at an IT company in Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo, in October. “I wish you good luck in Japan.”