Crown Prince Naruhito, Crown Princess Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, left for the Netherlands on Thursday for a two-week trip aimed at helping the Crown Princess recover from her stress-induced illness.
This is the first time a member of the Imperial family has gone abroad to recuperate.
The Crown Prince, 46, and the Crown Princess, 42, last traveled overseas together in December 2002 on an official visit to New Zealand and Australia. This foreign trip is the first for their 4-year-old daughter.