Princess Kako calls for deeper ties between Japan, Austria

Japan's Princess Kako, niece of Emperor Naruhito, called for strengthening the relationship between Japan and Austria on Tuesday in Vienna as she attended a reception marking the 150th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The first official overseas trip by the 24-year-old younger daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito, the emperor's younger brother, has drawn local interest, with Austrian media reporting her courtesy call on President Alexander Van der Bellen the previous day.

Prior to the reception, the princess met with children at the Japanese International School in Vienna and students learning Japanese at the University of Vienna. She also visited a riding school.

She is scheduled to travel to the Hungarian capital, Budapest, on Thursday to celebrate 150 years of bilateral diplomatic ties between Japan and Hungary.

During her visit through Sept. 25, the princess will pay a courtesy call on and attend a luncheon with Hungarian President Janos Ader and speak at a dinner commemorating the occasion.

Her parents visited Austria and Hungary in 2009.