Japan’s crown prince opens France trip with children, museum
LYON, France >> Crown Prince Naruhito, Japan’s next emperor, has met with Japanese schoolchildren and toured a world-renowned textile museum during a nine-day goodwill visit to France.
The crown prince spent the first full day of his trip in Lyon, a city in southeastern France known as the capital of the Gauls in ancient Roman times.
Naruhito appeared delighted as he walked through the Musee des Tissus, the museum with a 2.5 million-piece collection spanning 4,500 years of textile production.
He arrived Friday and was greeted by Interior Minister Gerard Collomb, who was Lyon’s mayor for 16 years. He plans to have a private tour of a Burgundy winery on Sunday.
The crown prince’s itinerary eventually brings him to Paris, often the starting point of visiting foreign dignitaries.