Photo/Illutration A down jacket, a photo of Tomoya Suzuki’s motorbikes and pictures from his childhood are displayed at his funeral, held May 2 in Obihiro, Hokkaido, after he perished in a tour boat tragedy. (Shigehito Nakazawa)

OBIHIRO, Hokkaido--Tomoya Suzuki, one of more than two dozen victims of a tour boat tragedy off Hokkaido last month, had planned to propose to his girlfriend following what he hoped would prove to be a memorable and romantic day out together.

His intentions came to light during his funeral held in his hometown here on May 2.

Family members disclosed the contents of a letter he left under the seat of his car in a parking lot in Shari to board the Kazu I tour boat on April 23 for a sightseeing trip around the spectacular Shiretoko Peninsula.

The letter is dated April 23, his girlfriend’s birthday.

Suzuki, 22, started the letter with a congratulatory message and wrote, “Today is the 308th day since we met.”

He went on: “I will love you forever. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Would you do me the honor of being my wife?”

He finished by saying, “Please give me your answer on July 7.” The day would have been Suzuki’s 23rd birthday.

Suzuki had worked as a sales rep for a shutter company since graduating from high school.

He was transferred to Kitami, Hokkaido, from Obihiro, in January.

After reading the letter, his 52-year-old uncle said, “He was going to live a happier life. This is truly painful.”

His family allowed media representatives access to part of the funeral service.

A new orange-colored down jacket was on display, to “give him warm clothing, because he was in icy water,” a family member said.

His girlfriend is among those still missing. The boat set out with 24 passengers and two crew members, and all of them are presumed to have drowned or died of hypothermia.

Suzuki’s father, Tsuyoshi, 50, told reporters May 1, “I prayed both of them would be found together, but the body of my son was discovered first. I wanted to bring them home together.”

He said that the recent marriage of an older brother probably inspired his younger son to tie the knot soon.

With tears brimming, he said: “This is so sad. I’m overwhelmed with grief. This is so hard. I just pray a disaster like this never occurs again.”

He finished by saying he “only feels anger” toward Shiretoko Pleasure Boat, the operator of the stricken vessel.

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