Japan's Emperor Naruhito visits Mongolia amid growing democratic ties
ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia, July 8 (UPI) -- Japanese Emperor Naruhito attended a welcoming ceremony and met with Mongolian President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh during his first official state visit to Mongolia on Tuesday, as the two democratic countries look to strengthen ties.
Later in the afternoon, Naruhito visited a memorial for Japanese prisoners of war who died in Soviet internment camps in Mongolia.
The emperor's weeklong visit comes as Mongolia -- a vibrant democracy of 3.5 million people -- seeks to chart an independent course between its two giant authoritarian neighbors, Russia and China.
During their meeting, President Khurelsukh expressed gratitude to Naruhito for the "unwavering and heartfelt support provided by the government and people of Japan in consolidating democracy, fostering sustainable social and economic development and enhancing human resource capacity in Mongolia," government news agency Montsame reported.
Landlocked Mongolia exports the overwhelming majority of its vast mineral resources to China, while relying on Russia for its energy needs. Almost all of Mongolia's petroleum supply comes from Russia, its traditional political and military ally dating back to the Soviet Union era.
In recent years, Ulaanbaatar has increasingly sought a "third neighbor" policy to diversify its economic and diplomatic relationships with countries such as the United States, France, South Korea and Japan.
"Because of the current geopolitical situation worldwide with Russia and China, Mongolia has to pursue this third neighbor policy even more actively," Munkh-Orgil Enebish, a senior analyst at Ulaanbaatar-based Arctus Analytics, told UPI. "The Japanese emperor's visit is a prime example of the policy of balancing against Russia and China."
Japan has also prioritized its relationship with Mongolia, funding major infrastructure projects and expanding defense cooperation as Tokyo looks to strengthen a democratic foothold in the region.
On Tuesday afternoon, Naruhito and Empress Masako laid a wreath at a monument commemorating thousands of Japanese prisoners of war held in Mongolia during World War II.
Mongolia, which fought alongside the Soviet Union during the war, received around 14,000 Japanese prisoners from Siberia. Many were used as forced labor on construction projects for government buildings and a national theater, some of which are still in use today.
Roughly 2,000 of the prisoners died, according to Japanese records.
Naruhito's visit marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The emperor has made a series of memorial tours in recent months to sites of fierce battles and devastation, including Iwo Jima and Hiroshima.
"I think it is important not to forget those who died, to deepen our understanding of past history and to foster a love of peace," Naruhito said last week ahead of his Mongolia trip. "During this visit, I will be thinking about this history. I will offer flowers at the cenotaph for the Japanese dead and remember the hardships faced by those who unexpectedly died far from their hometowns."
Later this week, Naruhito and Masako are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of Naadam, a traditional Mongolian festival centered around horse racing, wrestling and archery. Their visit will wrap up on June 13.
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