Japan Crown Prince Shows Respect for Immigrants in Paraguay

Asuncion, Aug. 21 (Jiji Press)--Visiting Japanese Crown Prince Akishino on Friday expressed his sincere respect for the Japanese community in Paraguay.

The Crown Prince, who is on an official trip to the South American country together with Crown Princess Kiko, attended a ceremony in Asuncion, the country's capital, to mark this year's 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Paraguay.

"The current relationship between Japan and Paraguay owes much to the Japanese immigrants and their descendants, whose number has exceeded 10,000," the Crown Prince said in front of some 650 people of Japanese descent. He also expressed his gratitude to Paraguay for accepting Japanese immigrants over the years.

Naoyuki Toyotoshi, 90, former Paraguayan ambassador to Japan and a first-generation Japanese immigrant, said that the first generation hopes that younger generations will further play active roles as a bridge between the two countries.

The Imperial couple met with members of the Japanese community in the afternoon. Ikuko Matsumiya, an 87-year-old immigrant from Tochigi Prefecture, said, "Imperial Family members visit this country at each important juncture, and their visits encourage us."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]