Japan's Emperor Naruhito expressed hope for lasting friendship between Japan and Belgium at a banquet in Brussels on Tuesday hosted by King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, as this year marks the 160th anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations."As longstanding and irreplaceable friends, I pray for enduring friendship between our two countries and for the happiness of our peoples," the emperor said in Japanese during a speech at the dinner, which he attended with Empress Masako at the Castle of Laeken.He recalled ties between the two royal families dating back to a 1921 visit by his grandfat…READ FULL ARTICLE