THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
April 13, 2024 at 16:44 JST
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako speak with evacuees at a center in Noto, Ishikawa Prefecture, on April 12. (Pool)
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made a second visit to the earthquake-stricken Noto Peninsula on April 12 to offer words of comfort to survivors of the Jan. 1 magnitude-7.6 temblor that left hundreds homeless.
During a visit to an evacuation center in Anamizu where 46 residents of 29 households are taking temporary shelter, the imperial couple crouched down to maintain eye-level contact with the evacuees, many of whom were elderly and remained seated.
“Their eyes were so kind,” said the husband of a couple aged 76 who lost their home in the earthquake. “I was really happy because I felt they were concerned for us from the bottom of their hearts.”
After the visit, Anamizu Mayor Koki Yoshimura said: “All the residents, including those who welcomed them along the route to the evacuation center, were greatly encouraged by the visit. My heart is overcome with emotion.”
Naruhito and Masako used a Self-Defense Force aircraft to visit Noto because roads in the region are still out of action.
The imperial couple were briefed on the extent of the damage and visited the Shiromaru district where one resident died.
Mayor Kazuyo Omori talked about the height of the tsunami that hit the neighborhood.
The imperial couple bowed their heads in silent prayer for seven seconds.
Evacuee Katsuhiro Mizutaki, 55, recounted that Naruhito expressed concern about the extended stay he was forced to endure.
Mizutaki later told reporters, “Their attitude was so informal, and they showed their concern for us in such a kind way.”
The imperial couple visited the hard-hit cities of Wajima and Suzu in the Noto Peninsula on March 22. A second visit was arranged by the Imperial Household Agency and the Ishikawa prefectural government because the imperial couple continued to voice their concern about the situation in the region.
They had to take a reserve plane from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to reach Noto Satoyama Airport because of aircraft trouble in the plane originally scheduled to take them there. They returned to Tokyo the same day.
(This article was written by Shoko Rikimaru, Shintaro Shiiki and Yota Kosaki.)
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