PRINCE OF WALES

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17429, 13 April 1922, Page 7

PRINCE OF WALES

WELCOME TO JAPAN. SIGNITIOANCE OP HISI VISIT. (By Cable —Pr« 3» Association—Copyright) lH«ut«r'§ Tel«jr»in»,, TOKYO. April 11. Tho Prince of Wales will bo housed in the Akawika Palace during his stay in Tokyo. The palace was built 20 years ago for tho present; Emperor when he was Crown Prince, but was never occupied owing to cm-tain views and fears expressed by tho Royal physicians. The Prince of Wales will be the first man to .sleep under tho roof of this majestic pile of stone and marble. It has 150 rooms, furnished magnificently with French furniture. The Princo of Wales's own suite of rooms, however, contains n few priceless examples of Japanese and Chinese art. The city has a gala appearance. There aro many thousands of British flags and millions of lanterns bearing the motto: "Welcome, Prince of Wales. 1 ' The Prince-Regent has sent a message to the Japanese people. He says tho visit of the Prince of Wales affords an opportunity to demonstrate the strength of the friendship which had existed between Great Britain and Japan for the past 20 years, and of which tho warmth of his own welcome when he visited Great Britain was a proof. His wish is that all ranks unite to make tho four full of comfort, showing the whole-hearted friendship of Japan and the Japanese towards Great Britain. The Prime Minister stated that the coming of tho Princo of Wales has given immeasurable satisfaction to the Imperial household, and conferred a great honour on the Japanese nation, which felt an eternal obligation for the welcome accorded tho Japanese Crown Princo by the British Court, Government and people. The visit of the Prince of Wales was certain to strengthen the bondg of friendship between the two nations.