Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Japanese Emperor Pays Tribute to Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors


(MENAFN) Japanese Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and their daughter, Princess Akito, visited a nursing care facility in Nagasaki on Saturday to meet survivors of the atomic bombing, a poignant moment in their ongoing three-day visit to the city.

The Imperial family arrived at the facility at approximately 10:30 AM local time (01:30 GMT), where they gathered with elderly residents, some in their 80s and 90s. In a solemn display of empathy, the royals bent down to make eye contact with the seated survivors and listened intently to their stories, media reported.

The visit marks the first time the royal couple has returned to Nagasaki since Emperor Naruhito's ascension to the throne in 2019. For Princess Akito, it is her first visit to the city.

Earlier on Friday, the family paid tribute at the Nagasaki Peace Park, where they placed flowers at a memorial. They also met with survivors aged 81 to 101 at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.

The United States dropped the plutonium bomb, "Fat Man," on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, at 11:02 AM local time (02:02 GMT), just days after the bombing of Hiroshima. The devastating attack killed approximately 70,000 people.

Japan's formal surrender on August 15, 1945, marked the conclusion of World War II.

On Sunday, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of the National Cultural Festival and the National Arts and Culture Festival for Persons with Disabilities.

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