Emperor Naruhito speaks to reporters at a news conference in the Imperial Palace on June 15, ahead of his first goodwill visit abroad since he ascended the throne. He will leave for Indonesia along with Empress Masako on June 17. (Provided by the Imperial Household Agency)

Photo/Illutration Emperor Naruhito attends a news conference at the Imperial Palace on June 15 ahead of his goodwill visit to Indonesia. (Pool)

Ahead of his official visit to Indonesia, Emperor Naruhito expressed his aspirations of deepening friendly relations between the two countries.

Naruhito will leave for Indonesia on June 17, which will be his first goodwill visit abroad since he ascended the throne in 2019. Empress Masako will accompany him.

He reflected on Japan’s history of occupying Indonesia during World War II.

“It’s important to remember those who died, to deepen our understanding of the past and to foster a love for peace among people,” Naruhito said at a news conference held at the Imperial Palace on June 15.

“It breaks my heart to think about the many precious lives lost and the many people who suffered and felt sorrow in the war,” he said.

Naruhito is the first emperor born after World War II. He said he had heard stories about the war from his parents, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko.

“I would like to thoroughly inherit their strong desire for peace,” he said.

The overseas trip will also mark the first goodwill visit with Masako since 2002, when they were crown prince and princess.

“I’m very pleased,” Naruhito said. “I would like to share our views with each other, discuss various topics with Masako and deepen our understanding about Indonesia, as well as the relations between the two countries.”

But he said that Masako’s health is still recovering, and he will do part of the itinerary alone.

“I hope Masako will fulfill our visit to (Indonesia) while taking care of her health,” he said. 

65 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS

The couple will stay in Indonesia until June 23.

They are expected to lay flowers at the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in southern Jakarta. Indonesia’s national heroes are buried there, including Japanese veterans who remained in the Southeast Asian nation after World War II and fought for its independence.

The couple will attend a luncheon hosted by President Joko Widodo and his wife. Naruhito will also visit the ancient capital of Yogyakarta alone and meet with the special province’s governor, who is also a sultan.

The couple will visit as a state guest at the invitation of Indonesia.

This year marks 50 years of friendship and cooperation between Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, and Indonesia currently chairs the regional block.

This year also marks 65 years of diplomatic relations between Japan and Indonesia.

The Japanese government is believed to be aiming to strengthen relations with Indonesia, which exerts political and economic leadership in Southeast Asia.

“I hope this visit will help further deepen our friendship and goodwill, building on their history of bilateral exchanges,” Naruhito said.

He also said that a goodwill visit abroad is a “very good opportunity to promote mutual understanding and friendship.”

He indicated that it is “one of the important pillars of the role the imperial family should fulfill.”

(This article was written by Akiko Tada and Nobuaki Tanaka.)

Related News