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GV Kew Gardens
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SV Emperor arrives & walks to tree
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SV Pressmen
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LV Emperor placing shovel of earth at base of tree
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SV Spectators
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GV Emperor & Empress along path
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LV Emperor stops to look at plants
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GTV Party along path
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Initials SGM/2138 SGM/2151



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: On the second day(Wednesday 6th October) of his four-day state visit to Britain, Emperor Hirohito of Japan found time to pursue his scientific and botanical interests. During the afternoon he visited the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. There he planted a Japanese cedar tree near the main entrance, and spent some time inspecting the extensive flower gardens, herbarium, library, and Jodrell Laboratory.

SYNOPSIS: The Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, in outer London, were visited on Wednesday by Emperor Hirohito of Japan during the second day of his state visit to Britain.

Pressmen and spectators watched as the Emperor took a spadeful of earth and ceremonially planted a young Japanese cedar tree near the main entrance to the Gardens.

For Emperor Hirohito it was a day in which he could indulge his keen interest in various fields of science. At Kew Gardens he was to visit the herbarium, library and Jodrell Laboratory, while the Empress was taken on a tour of some of the flower gardens of the 300-acre area. Earlier, Emperor Hirohito had been made a Fellow of the Royal Society in recognition of his work and interest in the field of marine biology.