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Prince William starts weeklong Asian tour in Japan
Britain's Prince William is due to arrive in Japan on Thursday, the first stop on his official week-long North Asian tour, where he will stay for three days before flying to China.
The Duke of Cambridge's trip to Japan from February 26 to March 1 will be followed by a four-day visit to China from March 1 to March 4. He is traveling without wife Kate, who is seven months pregnant, and son George.
"This will be The Duke's first visit to both countries - two of the world's leading economies, and he is very much looking forward to the opportunity to start building a relationship with and an understanding of both China and Japan," Miguel Head, private secretary to The Duke of Cambridge wrote in a statement.
William's visit has sparked a flurry of excitement. Japanese twitter users are flooding the site with recommendations of local delicacies under the hashtag #ウィリアム王子に食べて欲しいもの, which translates to "Things I would like Prince William to try eating".
"In preparation for his big arrival on Thursday, I have been struck by how supportive, excited and generous our friends in Japan have been. Like any member of the British Royal Family, The Duke's life attracts a lot of attention, but particularly so in Japan," said Tim Hitchens, British Ambassador to Japan
What's on the agenda?
"The Duke's visit to Japan will be one of contrast: old and new, city and country, high speed and slow pace," said Head.
Upon landing at Tokyo's Haneda International Airport Thursday afternoon, the Duke will be transferred to a fast boat for a tour of the city.
On the journey, he will visit landmarks such as the 2020 Olympics site, the iconic Rainbow Bridge and Hama Rikyu gardens, where he will experience a traditional tea ceremony.
On Friday, he will pay his respects by laying a wreath at Hodogaya Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery in Yokohama, about 9 kilometers west of Tokyo.
The afternoon will be spent back in Tokyo where he will launch the Innovation is GREAT campaign at Academy Hills and spend time with three U.K. Tech Award winners.
In the evening, he will attend a reception at the British Embassy, where he will meet high profile Japanese figures including politicians, artists and sportsmen.
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On, Saturday, the morning begins at the headquarters of Japan's public service broadcaster, NHK.
In the afternoon, he will travel on one of the country's famous bullet trains to Koriyama, one of the largest cities in Fukushima prefecture, which was hit hard by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The final day, Sunday, will be spent visiting the coastal city of Ishinomaki, where 3,275 people died and 22,000 residents were left without a home.
There, he will meet with surviving residents, including a local newspaper editor, who produced handwritten newsletters to keep vital communications in the days immediately after the tsunami.
The editor has since established a children's newspaper allowing younger members of the community to tell their own stories about the disaster.
The day will end with a visit to Onagawa, another city along the coast, which also suffered severe destruction during the tsunami.
Concluding his visit to Japan, he will ring the one surviving Onagawa bell rescued from the mud - now known as the Chime of Hope - before heading to Narita Airport for his afternoon departure to Beijing.
-- Chehui Peh contributed to this article.
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