The Dutch have warmly welcomed Crown Prince Naruhito and his family to their country for a rest, however a shadow still hangs over the two countries' relations from unresolved issues over Japan's treatment of the Dutch during World War II.
Dutch Queen Beatrix invited the Crown Prince and his family about a year ago to visit the Netherlands for a rest. It was a goodwill gesture aimed at helping Crown Princess Masako recover from her stress-related illness and a sign of the good relations between the two countries.
The family took the Dutch royals up on their offer and arrived in the Netherlands Aug. 17 to spend two weeks at an ancient royal castle in the eastern city of Apeldoorn.