Japan Imperial Couple Plant Cherry Tree in Netherlands

Amsterdam, June 19 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, currently on a state visit to the Netherlands, planted a cherry tree at a park near Amsterdam on Friday.

At a monument in the Cherry Blossom Park for the victims of the March 2011 massive earthquake and tsunami that mainly struck northeastern Japan, the Emperor and Empress observed a moment of silence.

The memorial monument was established by a local municipality. Around the area, 400 cherry trees have been planted to symbolize exchanges between Japan and the Netherlands.

After the planting event, the Imperial couple held talks at a hotel in Amsterdam with Dutch people with ties to Japan and Japanese residents in the European country.

The Emperor and Empress listened attentively to participants, including Inez Schelfhout, a Dutch clinical psychologist who has contributed to promoting Japan-Netherlands exchanges while engaging in trauma treatment for soldiers and their children affected by World War II, according to informed sources.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]