Japan's Emperor Naruhito has attended a welcome banquet in London's financial district during his state visit to Britain.
Wednesday's dinner party at the Guildhall was held by representatives of the City of London and others. About 650 people participated in the event, including Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh.
Emperor Naruhito said in his speech the citizens of Japan and the UK have made bold efforts to solve challenges, building on the achievements of their predecessors and flexibly embracing new technologies.
Emperor Naruhito said: "It will be a source of great pleasure to us if our visit to the United Kingdom can provide a chance for the people of both countries to reconfirm their bonds of friendship and goodwill, underpinned by the long-standing people-to-people connections, as well as an opportunity to pass on to the next generation the leadership role in resolving the challenges common to mankind."
Earlier, the Emperor also visited the Royal College of Music, one of the world's leading music universities. Over 900 students from some 50 countries study there.
Emperor Naruhito listened to a performance by students at a simulation facility that re-creates the acoustics and appearance of settings such as concert halls.
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will wrap up their engagements as state guests with formal farewells to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Buckingham Palace on Thursday morning.