Following a deadly New Year’s Day 7.5 magnitude earthquake in Japan, King Charles sent a letter of condolence to Japan’s Emperor Naruhito.

In a letter to the Emperor, The King and Queen Camilla said they were “profoundly saddened to hear of the devastating loss of life and injuries.”

The King noted that he had been following the reports of the aftermath closely and that he deeply feels for those suffering from the aftereffects of the “horrible tragedy.” In part, the letter said: “We mourn the many lives cut short and our thoughts are with all those who have lost loved ones.

“We greatly admire the bravery and courage of all those involved in the emergency search and rescue services. I know that my Government stands ready to support the people of Japan at this exceptionally difficult time.”

There is a good relationship between The King and Queen with the Japanese Imperial Family. At The King’s Coronation, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko were in attendance. In 2019, the then-Prince of Wales attended Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony. Similar to a coronation, it’s a ceremony of inauguration for a person, usually a monarch or religious leader, who is being formally seated for the first time upon their throne.

In a New Year’s message, Emperor Naruhito said: “I pray that the coming year will be a bright and hopeful one for people in our country and worldwide.”

The quake caused the Imperial Family to cancel their New Year’s greeting event. In addition, the Japanese Prime Minister warned it’s a critical time to search for survivors as many have been left trapped under rubble.