The country has made preparations for the visit of Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, who are set to arrive in Manila on Tue, Jan 26.
“Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will make a five-day trip to the Philippines on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of bilateral ties between Japan and the Philippines,” reports Kyodo News.
The report noted: “The emperor and empress’s visit comes on the invitation of President Benigno Aquino, extended during his state visit to Japan last June.”
It will be the first official visit of the imperial couple to the Philippines, although it’s not their first time inn the country. They had visited the Philippines in 1962, but they were still designated as crown prince and princess at that time.
It may be recalled that during World War II, around 1.1 million Filipinos and some 518,000 Japanese soldiers and civilians perished. The Philippines and Japan were on opposite sides and the emperor’s father, Emperor Hirohito, was the commander-in-chief of the Japanese military at that time.
As such, the report indicated that “the couple’s imperial couple’s trip to the Philippines is to be part of a tour where they will pay respects to war dead and pray for peace.” In fact, one of their stops will be at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Taguig City.
