Japan Emperor, Empress Revisit University of Oxford

Oxford, Britain, June 28 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Friday revisited the University of Oxford, where they had studied, before leaving for their country later in the day after an official visit to Britain.

The Imperial couple arrived at the university's Balliol College around 11:40 a.m. After being welcomed by Christopher Patten, the university's chancellor, they walked around the college. The Empress was reunited with her former supervisor and dormitory manager there.

The Emperor studied at Merton College from June 1983 to October 1985. He spent time with other students in his dormitory and worked on his research on the history of water transportation on the Thames in the 18th century.

The Empress studied international relations at Balliol College from 1988 to 1990, when she was an official of the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

Before coming to Britain, the Emperor told a press conference at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on June 19, "I am looking forward to visiting Oxford with Masako for the first time and walking around the city."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]