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Emperor and Empress Honor WWII POWs in First State Visit to Mongolia

The imperial rites at a Ulaanbaatar cenotaph illustrate Japan’s commitment to Mongolia’s democratic ‘third neighbor’ strategy

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Overview

  • Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako laid flowers at a cenotaph in Ulaanbaatar for roughly 1,700 Japanese POWs who died in Mongolian detention after World War II.
  • The visit is the first by a Japanese emperor to Mongolia and coincides with the 80th anniversary of the end of the war.
  • At a state banquet hosted by President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh, the emperor expressed gratitude for Mongolian aid following major Japanese disasters and pledged to deepen bilateral cooperation.
  • President Khurelsukh thanked Japan for its sustained support in consolidating democracy, fostering economic development and building human resource capacity.
  • Later this week, the imperial couple will attend the opening ceremony of the Naadam festival before concluding their visit on July 13.