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Emperor, empress to visit Palau in April

4 Comments

The government and Imperial Household Agency said Friday that Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will visit Palau in April to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The emperor has long indicated his interest to visit the west Pacific islands to pay his respects to the war dead and pray for world peace. In those areas, more than 46,000 Japanese soldiers died in battle.

In 2005, to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the war, the imperial couple visited Saipan, another battleground where many people died.

NTV reported that the imperial couple will leave Japan on April 8 aboard a chartered jet. They will attend remembrance ceremonies and return to Tokyo on April 9.

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4 Comments
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Hopefully the emperor will make an apology speech on August 15th. It would only be fitting, considering WW2 was waged in his father's name (a fact he was acquitted for).

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I don't think that the fact that the emperor of Japan is "praying for world peace" will contribute in any way for world peace.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

I hope he prays in remembrance of all the dead, and not just the Japanese soldiers.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It is so disappointing that people do not have the right knowledge about the history of Japan around WWII period. That's all because of the biased post-war education to fabricate the history in favor of the Allied countries which won the war.

You should know that Japan is loved by the people in Palau because they ruled the country in a very friendly and harmonizing way under the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. The rule by Japan was completely different from the conventional style of colonial rules, a.k.a invasion, by the western nations. If you know how did Palau get developed and civilized since the rule by Japan, you might start to doubt all your prejudice about rulings by the wartime Japan.

Did you know none of the local residents of the island of Pelileu was killed when Japan fought the U.S on the island because they were all evacuated by Japanese military before the American came over despite the islanders' desire to fight together with Japan?

And Yes, of course the Emperor and Empress will pray for all the people who lost their life during the war including American soldiers. They always do. You should also know that the last Emperor himself tried his best to avoid the war.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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