Imperial Couple’s Visit to Iwoto: Trips to Mourn War Dead to Pass Down Memories of Calamities

Editorial

15:35 JST, April 9, 2025

The Emperor and Empress have begun their trips to mourn the war dead in various parts of Japan. With this year marking the milestone of the 80th year since the end of World War II, it is necessary to reflect again on the precious nature of peace.

The Imperial couple have visited Iwoto Island, a fierce battleground of the Pacific War. This was the first visit to Iwoto by an emperor and empress in 31 years, since the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita went there in 1994 during their time as the Emperor and Empress.

More than 27,000 people, including soldiers from Japan and the United States, died on the island near the end of the war in 1945. The remains of more than 10,000 Japanese war dead are still unrecovered on Iwoto.

About 1,000 people, or the majority of the islanders, were forced to evacuate in 1944. Due partly to the impact of volcanic activities, they have not been able to return.

The Imperial couple visited the memorial facilities on the island and offered prayers to console the souls of the war dead. They also met with bereaved families of the war dead and families of former islanders, saying to them, “You had great difficulties.” The way the couple turned their thoughts to grief must have resonated widely with the public.

The Imperial couple is scheduled to visit the nuclear-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki this year, as well as Okinawa Prefecture, the site of fierce fighting in World War II. It will be a year in which they come face to face with the war.

During his time as Emperor, the Emperor Emeritus repeatedly mourned the war dead in Japan and abroad. In 1995, which marked the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, he visited Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Okinawa. In 2005, he visited the U.S. island of Saipan for the 60th anniversary of the war’s end, and in 2015 he went to Palau for the 70th anniversary. He continued to make memorial trips until his abdication.

In February this year, at a press conference on the occasion of his birthday, the current Emperor stated, “As we mark the milestone of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, I wish to once again turn my thoughts to those who perished across various regions and to those who endured great hardships.”

The number of people born before the war is decreasing every year. How to pass on the terrible experiences of the war to future generations has become an issue.

The Emperor, who was born after the end of the war, must have inherited from the Emperor Emeritus the importance of facing up to history and conveying the precious nature of peace. It is vital to renew beyond generations the pledge that the calamities of the war will never be repeated.

The Imperial couple visited Indonesia in 2023 and Britain last year to promote international goodwill. In both cases, they deepened exchanges with local young people and others, and spent a warm time aimed at the future of Japan and these countries.

In July this year, they will make their first official visit to Mongolia as Emperor and Empress. They are also considering visiting a cenotaph for Japanese detainees.

Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and the fighting in the Palestinian territory of Gaza are continuing. Goodwill exchanges with a desire for peace play a significant role.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, April 9, 2025)