Crown prince, princess meet with JICA volunteers

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:53 JST, May 21, 2022

Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko met with about 70 volunteers with the Japan International Cooperation Agency in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, on Friday.

The volunteers, who will be dispatched overseas this summer, were divided into small groups, and the couple met with each group. Talking to a volunteer who will go to Uzbekistan, Crown Prince Akishino said, “I hope the people in that country will take an interest in Japan.”

With the ascension of the current Emperor, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko took over the duty of meeting with JICA volunteers who are to be dispatched overseas from the Emperor and Empress.

These meetings were previously held at the Akasaka East Residence on the Akasaka Estate or online, but the latest meeting took place at a large venue in the JICA Ichigaya Building in Shinjuku Ward.