Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako sent their top close aide Bessho Koro, Grand Chamberlain to the Emperor, to the Vatican Embassy in Japan as a messenger of condolence on April 23.

The move came two days after Pope Francis passed away at age 88.

Emperor Naruhito met with the pope who visited Japan in November 2019.

The emperor had expressed his gratitude to Pope Francis for visiting a-bombed Nagasaki and Hiroshima, and survivors of the March 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami.