Japan’s Emperor Naruhito is expected to attend Queen Elizabeth’s state funeral, local media reported on Saturday.

If confirmed, it will mark his first trip abroad since ascending the Chrysanthemum throne in 2019 following his father’s abdication.

Naruhito was due to visit the UK as his first post-ascension trip abroad but was postponed due to the pandemic.

Public broadcaster NHK reported Saturday, citing unnamed sources, that the Imperial Household Agency and the Japanese government are taking precautions.

Both were not immediately available to confirm the reports.

The Mainichi Shimbun newspaper noted that this was a rare reaction, as the emperor does not usually attend funerals in Japan and abroad, but other members of the royal family do.

Empress Masako will also attend if her condition permits, reports say.

Local media cited close ties between Japanese and British royal families as reasons for Naruhito’s possible attendance.

Naruhito’s father, Akihito, attended the Queen’s coronation in 1953 as Crown Prince in place of then-Emperor Hirohito.

In 1975, the Queen made the first visit by a British monarch to Japan and met Hirohito.

In a statement released after her death, Naruhito praised her “many accomplishments and contributions” and said he felt “deep sorrow.”

The 62-year-old Kaiser, who studied at Oxford University, thanked her for “many reflections she gave me during my studies and visits to the UK”.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is also reportedly considering attending the funeral.