Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan visit Paraguay

Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan visited Paraguay to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration.

The royal couple arrived at the international airport in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, on a government plane. 

The following day, the couple visited a hotel, where they met Japanese residents and members of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. The Crown Prince then held discussions with local JICA staff and Overseas Cooperation Volunteers. Afterwards, they visited the Paraguayan Heroes’ Shrine and placed flowers there. 

The next day, they attended the ceremony to mark this year’s 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Paraguay. “The current relationship between Japan and Paraguay owes much to the Japanese immigrants and their descendants, whose number has exceeded 10,000,” said Crown Prince Fumihito. About 650 people of Japanese descent also attended the ceremony.

Ikuko Matsumiya, an 87-year-old immigrant from Tochigi Prefecture, said, “Imperial Family members visit this country at each important juncture, and their visits encourage us.”

The visit will continue for two more days, during which the couple will visit La Colmena, where the first Japanese settlers arrived in 1936, and they will fly to Iguazu.