Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit Ireland and Norway next month, accompanied by an entourage led by former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, the government said Tuesday.

The Emperor and Empress will leave Tokyo on May 7 and arrive in Dublin later that day. They will go to Oslo on May 10 and visit Norway's first capital of Trondheim. The couple are scheduled to return to Japan on May 14.

Norwegian Crown Prince Haakon Magnus will formally welcome the Imperial Couple on behalf of King Harald V, who recently underwent heart surgery. The prince visited the Aichi Expo on Monday and said he is looking forward to meeting the Emperor and Empress again.

Japan and Norway are marking the centennial of diplomatic relations this year.