Japan’s Crown Prince and Princess Akishino arrived in Paraguay on Wednesday morning, local time.
They plan to travel across the country to interact with Japanese immigrants and their descendants during their visit.
The couple arrived at an airport in the outskirts of the Paraguayan capital of Asuncion on board a government plane. After being greeted by the country’s foreign minister, they were welcomed with a traditional guard of honor ceremony.
They later visited a memorial containing the tombs of former national leaders and people who died in war, and laid a wreath.
The Crown Prince and Princess will pay a courtesy call on President Santiago Pena and attend a presidential luncheon. They will also watch Paraguay’s traditional embroidery, nanduti, being made.
Their visit marks 90 years since the first Japanese immigrants arrived in the South American country.
The Crown Prince and Princess are to visit La Colmena, a town and district in southern Paraguay where the immigrants first settled. They are also scheduled to visit Yguazu, a major wheat- and soybean-producing area in the east of the country to interact with Japanese immigrants and their descendants.
They will return to Japan on August 26.