Japanese imperial couple’s visit confirmed

It’s now official.

Japan’s imperial couple will visit Saipan on June 27-28 to pay tribute to the casualties of World War II, the Consular Office of Japan announced yesterday.

Takeo Saito, Japan consul for the CNMI, said the visit by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko was finalized in a Japanese Cabinet meeting in Tokyo yesterday.

The emperor and empress are scheduled to leave Tokyo on June 27, 2005, and return the following day. The visit, the first by any imperial family member in the postwar era to Saipan, will take place ahead of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II this year.

“In this 60th year after the end of the war, the government of Japan has advised Their Majesties, the Emperor and Empress of Japan, to visit Saipan, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, to mourn and pay tribute to those who died in the war and to pray for world peace.

“Both the government of the United States of America and the government of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands welcome the visit by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress,” the consular office said in a statement.

Saipan was a site of fierce fighting between Japan and the United States during World War II.

In an interview, press secretary Peter Callaghan said the Babauta administration is very excited about the visit.

“The administration looks forward eagerly to this visit. We think this visit is of historic significance and an opportunity for the people of the CNMI and Japan to reaffirm our close ties,” said Callaghan.

Marianas Visitors Authority managing director Vicky Benavente noted that the local tourism industry stands to reap benefits from the imperial couple’s visit, given the tremendous amount of international media exposure that the event is expected to draw.

She added, however, that MVA recognizes that the main purpose of the visit, which is “to pay homage to the souls that perished during the war and to promote peace and cooperation among countries.”

“We’re very, very happy about the emperor and empress’ decision to come to our destination. It’s an amazing opportunity for the CNMI. We also understand [the imperial couple’s] wishes for this to be a solemn visit,” Benavente said.

MVA officials, she reported, will be meeting in the next few days to discuss how it can ensure “a safe and hospitable welcome for the emperor and empress.”

Yoichi Matsumura, the general manager of the Pacific Development Inc. travel agency, also welcomed the imperial couple’s visit.

“This event shows that the Japanese government recognizes the CNMI as a peaceful and safe destination for the family. It will be very good for the tourism industry,” Matsumura said.

In an interview with Kyodo News, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said the government had asked the emperor and empress to make the overseas trip aimed at consoling the souls of the war dead and wishing for peace as this year marks the 60th anniversary of the end of the war.

“The emperor and the empress have made clear they would like to mourn the loss of the lives in the war and continue to wish for world peace, and I appreciate such feelings,” Kyodo News quoted Koizumi as saying.

The Mainichi Shinbun, a daily newspaper in Japan, had reported that Japan entered into negotiations with U.S. officials over the trip in February after receiving a strong request from the Emperor and Empress to visit Saipan.

The United States reportedly conveyed its approval to Japanese Embassy officials at the beginning of April.

The visit, Mainichi recalled, had originally been scheduled for March, but it was put off because it clashed with a visit to Japan by foreign leaders.

In an earlier interview, MVA chair David Sablan stressed the significance of having the imperial couple come to the islands, especially at this time when arrivals from Japan are dwindling.

“We’re all excited about his visit. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event and the CNMI should do everything possible to give a grand welcome for the Emperor,” Sablan said. “We are in the midst of trying to increase arrivals out of Japan. More than ever, we should take advantage of this because the media exposure is going to be great.”