08-07-2025
Emperor checks out water issues, his passion, on trip to Mongolia
ULAN BATOR—Emperor Naruhito, who has made water-related research his life's work, visited facilities that supply water for Mongolia's capital, which is facing serious water shortages and pollution as its population swells.
At times donning a helmet, the emperor inspected facilities in Ulan Bator's Gachuurt district that draws groundwater from the Tuul River on July 7.
He also visited the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority of Ulaanbaatar City, which provides the water supply and sewerage services in the capital.
Naruhito and Empress Masako are on an official visit to Mongolia from July 6 to 13. He is the first emperor to travel to the East Asian country.
At a news conference prior to the trip, Naruhito said he wanted to deepen his understanding of Mongolia by learning more about the country's water-related issues.
'Knowing the water-related problems of different countries leads to better understanding the society and culture of each of them,' he said at the time.
The visits to the Gachuurt water source facilities and the water supply and sewerage authority were arranged partly in line with Naruhito's wishes.
As of 2024, Ulan Bator was home to about 1.77 million people, half of the country's population.
Facilities have been built in Gachuurt and elsewhere to draw groundwater from the Tuul River, which flows through the city, to ease the water shortage caused by the boom in population.
Shinichi Okuda, a professor of law at Takushoku University who is familiar with the water situation in Mongolia, said new water sources will be necessary for Ulan Bator because the population is projected to keep increasing.
Okuda is particularly concerned about 'ger districts' on the outskirts of Ulan Bator.
Large numbers of nomads who lost their livestock to snow damage have settled in these areas, but the water and sewage infrastructure is underdeveloped. Children often have to travel long distances to get water from the few available wells.
Shady figures have claimed control over well water and charge usage fees from residents. Contagious diseases have also spread as groundwater has been contaminated by sewage.
'Issues of water and poverty have been closely linked with each other,' Okuda said.
Naruhito developed an interest in water-related issues after learning about children suffering from water shortages in other countries.
Hideaki Oda, who advised Naruhito on his research in the field, remembers him showing a photograph of children carrying pots and waiting for their turns at a watering spot in Pokhara, Nepal, when he was crown prince.
Naruhito said he took the photo with his own camera in March 1987 because he was distressed by the plight of children traveling long distances to collect water there.
'Water-related issues can lead to international conflicts, disasters and poverty,' Oda said. 'The emperor is intensely interested in how to share limited water resources.'
