08 May '25

Imperial Family to Honor WWII Dead in Okinawa

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko to Pay Respects on Historic Visit

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are set to visit Okinawa next month in a poignant tribute to the war dead, marking a significant event ahead of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Adding to the historic nature of the trip, their daughter, Princess Aiko, will accompany them, making her first official visit to the prefecture, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

The imperial family's itinerary, commencing on June 4th, includes a ceremony at the national cemetery for the war dead in Itoman, where they will lay flowers as a gesture of remembrance. They will also visit the "Cornerstone of Peace" cenotaph and engage with survivors at the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum, providing a solemn reflection on the war's impact.

On the following day, the family will pay their respects at a memorial in Naha, commemorating the Tsushima Maru incident. This tragic event in August 1944 resulted in the loss of approximately 1,500 lives, including numerous schoolchildren, when a Japanese ship was sunk by a U.S. submarine torpedo attack. They will also visit the memorial museum and meet with survivors and bereaved families.

This visit marks a historic occasion, as it is the first time Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have visited this memorial, although then-Emperor Akihito and then-Empress Michiko previously paid their respects in 2014.

Okinawa experienced a devastating chapter in World War II, falling under U.S. control in 1945 during the Battle of Okinawa, which began with the landing of U.S. troops on the Kerama Islands. The fierce ground battle resulted in the loss of approximately 200,000 lives from both Japanese and American forces.

In a related gesture of remembrance, the Emperor and Empress recently visited Iwoto Island, formerly known as Iwojima, a key battleground in the Pacific during the war. Further, they are scheduled to visit Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the coming months, following in the footsteps of their predecessors to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

Other Versions

Justice • 08 Apr '25

A life in Taiwan

Imperial Family to Honor WWII Dead in Okinawa

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko to Pay Respects on Historic Visit

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