"Your Majesty, Your Royal Highness, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for your Majesty's most gracious and gratifying words of welcome and for the numerous courtesies and considerations you and your people have shown us in regard to this visit.

Relations between our two countries go back to the year 1600, when a ship's pilot from England named William Adams arrived aboard the Dutch ship The Liefde.

Adams was employed by the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and was instrumental both in an exchange of letters between Ieyasu and your own King James I and in facilitating the start of Japan's trade with the West. Shortly after that, however, Japan adopted the policy of isolation and there was a long hiatus in relations with your country.

Our interchange resumed in the mid 19th century when, stimulated by foreign pressure, Japan decided to end isolation.

Thereafter, the Japanese keenly learned from Western civilisation in a bid to modernise and preserve the nation.

In 1871 a mission comprising leading members of the government was despatched to North America and Europe to observe conditions there. In the course of their travels, which lasted over a year and a half, the mission spent over four months in Great Britain.

They enthusiastically looked at and learned from many aspects of Britain, including its economy and industry, science and technology, and education and culture.

The report they wrote upon their return to Japan devotes the most pages to Great Britain. In the same period, the government also invited numerous educators and engineers from abroad to live and work in Japan; about half of them are believed to have been British. In addition, many Japanese came to this country to study.

Building upon these relations evolved over the latter half of the 19th century, our two countries embarked upon a path of collaboration as allies in the early years of this century. My father, Emperor Showa visited your country in 1971 at Her Majesty's invitation. He mentioned in his address at the banquet held here that ever since his visit to Great Britain 50 years earlier during the days of the Anglo-Japanese Alliance, when your grandfather King George V warmly welcomed him, he had had a deep respect for the King.

It truly saddens me, however, that the relationship so nurtured between our two countries should have been marred by the Second World War. The Empress and I can never forget the many kinds of suffering so many people have undergone because of that war. At the thought of the scars of war that they bear, our hearts are filled with deep sorrow and pain.

All through our visit here, this thought will never leave our minds. We sincerely hope that such a history will never be repeated between our two nations. At the same time, may we express our profound respect and gratitude to those people who, despite such past sufferings, looking towards the future, have dedicated immeasurable efforts to the cause of friendship between our two countries.

I personally first visited the United Kingdom in 1953, a year after the San Francisco Peace Treaty came into force. Although there was still considerable bitterness towards Japan here at that time, it was a very rewarding stay for me in the months leading up to the Coronation, as I had the privilege of seeing Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh and of travelling widely throughout your country.

I will never forget the great efforts made at that time by people seeking to improve and strengthen Japanese-British ties of friendship.

Back again 45 years later, I would have loved to renew my friendship with many people now no longer with us, who gave me such warm memories at that time, and I truly miss them.

In 1975 Her Majesty did us the honour of visiting Japan as a state guest with His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh. At the kind invitation of Her Majesty extended to us on that occasion, the Empress and I stayed at Windsor Castle when we visited Britain in 1976.

The sojourn is etched deeply in our hearts. Windsor Castle evokes cherished memories for us, and I should like to tell you how happy we were to hear the news that it had been restored.

Today, Japan and Great Britain are cooperating closely for world peace and prosperity. Each of us contributes to the other's economy through investment and trade. The scope of academic and cultural exchanges is steadily widening. Along with this, vast numbers of our people have opportunities to visit back and forth.

Both of our countries have built their cultures and societies by cherishing ancient traditions without losing the capacity to innovate and adapt. I sincerely hope that our two peoples can continue to strive for true mutual understanding and can join hands in the cause of world peace and prosperity.

While recalling fond memories of previous visits to your country, we are looking forward to seeing your nation move boldly and dynamically into the future.