Emperor and empress attend welcome ceremony in Mongolia
The imperial couple shook hands with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife, and were handed flowers from local children decked in traditional attire. The national anthems of Japan and Mongolia were played at the ceremony, with the emperor receiving a guard of honor.
Accompanied by the Mongolian president and his wife, the imperial couple climbed up the stairs leading to the Government Palace, waving to people who gathered there.
Among those at the welcome ceremony were former yokozuna sumo grand champions Asashoryu, Hakuho and Harumafuji.
The emperor and empress then held a meeting with the president and his wife in a Mongolian portable home called a ger.
The emperor said last week that he would use the visit to honor Japanese prisoners of war who were detained by the former Soviet Union after World War II and died in Mongolia.
"I want to pay tribute to those who died far from their homeland and think about their hardships," the emperor said.
Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in August, the emperor and empress earlier this year visited Okinawa and Hiroshima prefectures, and Iwoto — also known as Iwo Jima.
The emperor said the "suffering and sorrow" experienced by people in these places "should never be forgotten."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Kyodo News
4 hours ago
- Kyodo News
Nobel panel, A-bomb survivors urge youth to carry torch of peace
TOKYO - The Norwegian Nobel Committee and Nihon Hidankyo, Japan's leading group of atomic bomb survivors, jointly urged younger generations at an event Sunday in Tokyo to "carry the torch" for peace by listening to the stories of survivors and keeping up the momentum for nuclear disarmament. "The nuclear taboo is under threat, and the hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) are aging. In not too many years, we will no longer have the testimonies of those who were there, those who could tell this story," said Norwegian Nobel Committee chair Jorgen Watne Frydnes. Nihon Hidankyo, also known as the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last year for its efforts to achieve a nuclear-free world through witness testimony. The symposium at Sophia University's Yotsuya Campus marked the first time the Nobel committee has traveled to a laureate's country to cohost an event. In a joint press conference, Terumi Tanaka, the 93-year-old co-chair of Nihon Hidankyo, expressed hopes that the awarding of the prize would encourage Japanese people to raise their voices "strongly enough to move the government" to take a more proactive stance in calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Recognizing that the future belongs to the youth, Tanaka said "I hope that going forward, young people will take an interest, engage with sensitivity, and listen to the hibakusha. I want them to reach the point of understanding that (nuclear weapons) must never be allowed to exist." Frydnes, 40, once again lauded the dedication of Nihon Hidankyo, noting that since the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the group, many movements and individuals have reengaged on the issue of nuclear disarmament. "Hopefully (the 80th anniversary) will be a turning point where world leaders are listening to all those people around the world who say, we cannot live in a world where we are living in a nuclear prison waiting for collective annihilation," he said. Frydnes, who arrived in Japan on Monday, visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki earlier this week where he met with atomic bomb survivors and local activists working toward nuclear abolition. "Hearing about these places is different from seeing them in person, so we are grateful that he came," Tanaka said, calling the Nobel committee's visit to Japan an "honor." The U.S. atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the final days of World War II in August 1945, killing an estimated 214,000 people by the end of the year and leaving numerous survivors grappling with long-term physical and mental health challenges. At a conference later in the day on responding to the threat of nuclear arms, keynote speeches by Frydnes, Tanaka and Michiko Kodama, assistant secretary general of Nihon Hidankyo, were followed by a panel discussion on nuclear disarmament involving Asle Toje, vice chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, and Japanese academics. The event was attended by around 700 people, according to the university.
Japan Times
4 hours ago
- Japan Times
China detained activist-singer, says Tibetan exile government
A young Tibetan singer and activist has been detained by Chinese authorities, the India-based Central Tibetan Administration said. Tzukte, popularly known as Asang, was taken into custody sometime in early July after he sang a song eulogizing Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, the CTA said in a statement Saturday. The CTA, which functions as a government-in-exile but is not officially recognized by any country, said the arrest was "part of Beijing's broader campaign to suppress Tibetan voices, specially Tibetan artists and writers". China considers Tibet an inalienable part of its territory and has ruled the region with an iron fist since its troops crushed an uprising for autonomy in 1959. Chinese authorities did not respond to a request for comment. "His detention, without charge or information on his whereabouts, violates international human rights norms and underscores China's ongoing assault on freedom of expression, cultural rights, and religious belief in Tibet," the CTA said. Asang, who is in his twenties, is a student of Gebe, a prominent Tibetan singer supporting the Tibetan cause through his music. Earlier this year, Asang reportedly appeared in public in the Ngawa region of Sichuan province with the word "Tibet" written on his forehead — a gesture that drew widespread praise online but also intensified scrutiny from officials. Rights activists have regularly voiced alarm at Beijing's alleged efforts to erase cultural and religious identity in Tibet.
The Mainichi
12 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Japan, US discussing scenario for nuclear weapons use: sources
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japan and the United States have been discussing a scenario, in which the U.S. military would use nuclear weapons in the event of a contingency, during talks on so-called extended deterrence, sources close to the two countries said Saturday. It is the first time the allies have delved into the issue, in a sign that they are seeking to strengthen the U.S. nuclear umbrella, under which Japan is protected, amid intensifying military activity by China, North Korea and Russia, the sources said. Japan is the only country to have experienced an atomic bomb attack and has long advocated for a nuclear-free world. However, it also relies on the U.S. nuclear umbrella for defense. The United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, and a second one three days later on Nagasaki in the final days of World War II. As part of the extended deterrence talks in recent years, Tokyo and Washington have held multiple tabletop exercises to strategize a scenario in which a conflict broke out in East Asia and the United States is pressured to use nuclear weapons, according to the sources. With that in mind, Japan and the United States reviewed how to coordinate and how to deal with issues stemming from the possible use of nuclear weapons, such as managing public opinion. Discussions also broached how much information the United States can share with Japan, the sources said. In December, the countries announced their first guidelines for extended deterrence -- including U.S. nuclear protection -- to better tackle regional security challenges. But details were not revealed due to the sensitivity of information related to national security, according to a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official. Diplomatic sources said the guidelines stipulated the steps the countries would take should the United States use nuclear weapons under Article 5 of the bilateral security pact. Article 5 obliges the United States to defend territories under Japan's administration from armed attack. The sources close to the nations also said the guidelines made it clear that Japan can convey its thoughts on a possible nuclear weapons use. Since extended deterrence talks were established in 2010, senior-level discussions, led by top foreign affairs and defense officials, have been held once or twice a year. The dialogue was upgraded in July 2024, with the first-ever ministerial talks on the issue held in Tokyo to better coordinate the alliance with an eye on China's military buildup and North Korea's missile and nuclear development.
