TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s Emperor Naruhito expressed his “delight” on Wednesday at finally being able to visit Britain after the trip was delayed for several years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The emperor looks forward to rekindling his friendship with the British royal family and revisiting Oxford, where he studied about 40 years ago.

Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, will embark on a weeklong visit to Britain starting Saturday. The trip was initially planned for 2020 at the invitation of the late Queen Elizabeth II, marking his first overseas visit after ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.

“I’m truly delighted to be able to make a visit to Britain this time,” Naruhito told reporters ahead of his June 22-29 trip with Masako. The emperor expressed regret that they could not make the trip while Queen Elizabeth was alive.

“Through our upcoming visit, I would like to reflect on the long history of exchanges fostered between Japan and Britain,” Naruhito said. He hopes to nurture the friendship with King Charles III, Queen Camilla, and other members of Britain’s royal family, and to strengthen relations between the two nations through meetings and exchanges.

Naruhito thanked King Charles III for accommodating the visit despite still recovering from cancer treatment. He wished both Charles and Queen Camilla, who is also undergoing cancer treatment, a speedy recovery.

Japan’s imperial family has maintained close relations with Britain’s royal family for three generations, starting from his grandfather, the late Emperor Hirohito.

Naruhito acknowledged the difficult times when Japan and Britain fought on opposing sides during World War II, but he emphasized that Japan has since focused on peace and prosperity on the global stage. He noted that Japan and Britain have developed strong ties in areas such as the economy, science and technology, and culture.

The trip includes a visit to Oxford University, where both he and Masako studied separately before their marriage. Naruhito said he looks forward to returning to Oxford and exploring the city with his wife for the first time together.

Naruhito researched the 18th-century Thames River transport system while at Merton College from 1983 to 1985.

The emperor fondly recalled the late queen serving him tea at Buckingham Palace during his 1983 visit to London. He also remembered being invited to a barbecue with the queen and other royals, and going fly fishing in Scotland with then-Prince Charles.

During his upcoming trip, Naruhito will visit the Thames Barrier, pay respects to the grave of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey, lay flowers at the tombs of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the King George VI Chapel in Windsor, and visit the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, among other activities.

The couple has a relatively relaxed schedule, partly due to considerations for Masako, who is still recovering from stress-induced conditions she developed soon after giving birth to the couple’s only child, Princess Aiko, amid pressure to have a son to continue Japan’s male-only imperial succession.