LONDON Britain's Prince Philip is reported to have privately indicated his opposition to Queen Elizabeth's decision to award the country's highest order of chivalry to the emperor of Japan. Emperor Akihito will receive the Order of the Garter at a private ceremony at Buckingham Palace during his state visit to Britain later this month. But the Times newspaper quoted British official sources as saying that the award had caused tension within the royal family, with the queen's husband Prince Philip most opposed to the move.

Akihito's visit has stirred some controversy in Britain, where veterans who were held prisoner by the Japanese during World War II have threatened to stage protests if they do not get an apology and compensation from the Japanese. Prince Philip, who is patron of the Burma Star Association of Former Prisoners of War, was said to have been moved by the protests from former British servicemen in the Far East. The Times quoted a British official as saying: He is deeply uneasy and unhappy with the whole thing.

He feels the government should have found other ways to honor the emperor. But he knows his duty and he will do it. To say that he is less than happy is an understatement. Earlier, Akihito said he would remember Britons who were still suffering from the scars of World War II during his visit to Britain. I hear our country's relationship with Britain has greatly improved, and I am also aware from media reports that there are people who suffer from the scars of the war, Emperor Akihito told a Tokyo news conference.

Thousands of Allied prisoners were forced by the Japanese imperial army to work as slave laborers during the war and many were tortured or died in captivity. Some survivors said they plan to insult Akihito by turning their backs on him as he approaches Buckingham Palace with Queen Elizabeth. (Reuters)