Emperor meets reporters ahead of visit to Mongolia
The Emperor and Empress Masako are to make an official visit to the East Asian country for eight days from Sunday.
They are scheduled to take part in a welcome ceremony as state guests.
Meeting reporters on Wednesday, the Emperor looked back on his previous visit to Mongolia in 2007, when he was Crown Prince.
He expressed hope that the upcoming trip will serve as an opportunity to reflect on the history of exchange between Japan and Mongolia.
He added that the Empress also wishes to reflect on this shared history and prays that friendship and exchange between the two nations will further deepen.
He said she is looking forward to experiencing firsthand the vast wilderness of Mongolia, its history and culture, while interacting with people in the country.
The Emperor also mentioned the roughly 14,000 Japanese captured by the former Soviet Union and sent to Mongolia in the aftermath of World War Two. Of them, some 1,700 died from hard labor and other causes.
He noted the internees worked as laborers and participated in construction projects, which included the government building, which is still in use, and the state opera and ballet theater.
He said he has been told that they won the respect of the Mongolian people for their dedication, despite working in harsh conditions.
The Emperor said he hopes to reflect on such history through the visit when he and the Empress offer flowers at a monument for the Japanese people who lost their lives during their internment.
He said he wants to pay tribute to the people who died far from their homeland and think about the hardships they endured.
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