MADRID : Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito visited Friday a retrospective of works by the late 20th century Spanish surrealist Joan Miro in Madrid during his third day of a week-long visit to Spain.

Naruhito was accompanied on his tour of the exhibit at Madrid's prestigious Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum by Spain's Crown Prince Felipe and his wife Princess Letizia, a former news anchor.

He was welcomed to the museum by Spanish Culture Minister Cesar Antonio Molina and by Miro's grandson Joan Punyet.

Naruhito was scheduled to dine with Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia later on Friday at the Zarzuela palace on the outskirts of Madrid which is the official residence of Spain's King Juan Carlos and his family.

Earlier Friday he held talks with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero.

Naruhito is to leave Madrid for the northern city of Zaragoza on Sunday to visit Expo 2008, an international exposition on water and sustainable development, an issue of longstanding interest for the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

His wife, Crown Princess Masako, is not accompanying him on the trip, which ends July 22.

The princess, a 44-year-old former diplomat educated at Harvard and Oxford, has has made few public appearances since 2003 as she suffers from what the palace calls "adjustment disorder."

- AFP /ls