The Japanese royals cultivated a close relationship with the Windsors since late 1800s. When Emperor Hirohito died in 1989, Queen Elizabath wanted to attend his funeral, but had to abondon the idea faced with stiff opposition from the WWII veterans groups in Britain.
Kimmel, a German American, was made a scapegoat for the debacle at Pearl Harbor, exactly like FDR wanted.