Japan's Crown Prince, Crown Princess Return Home from Paraguay

Tokyo, Aug. 26 (Jiji Press)--Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko arrived at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Wednesday morning, returning home after their official trip to Paraguay.

The trip marked the Crown Prince's first visit to the South American country in 20 years.

"The country has become even more memorable to us, especially considering that 20 years have passed," the couple said in a statement. "We sincerely hope that Japanese immigrants and their descendants will devote themselves to the development of Paraguay and that the friendly relations between the two countries will deepen further."

The couple departed from Haneda on Aug. 18 and arrived in the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion the next day via Los Angeles. They met with President Santiago Pena on Thursday and attended on the following day a ceremony marking this year's 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration to the country.

The couple also visited La Colmena, the first place where Japanese immigrants settled in Paraguay, and Yguazu, to meet with people of Japanese descent.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]