After the mass, the Crown Prince placed a white carnation on the flower stand and bowed.
During their goodwill visit to Rome in 2016, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko stopped in the Vatican and paid a courtesy call on the pope.
In 2019, the Emperor met with the Pope at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
On Wednesday, the Emperor and Empress sent Koro Bessho, grand chamberlain to the Imperial couple, to the Apostolic Nunciature to Japan in Tokyo to express their condolences over the Pope’s death.