Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko arrived here Monday on their first overseas trip dedicated to offering condolences for all victims of World War II, regardless of nationality, at a time when Japan's ties with other Asian countries are strained over war-related issues.
"Tomorrow, I am going to commemorate the people who lost their lives in this region and make visits to the memorials with a solemn wish for world peace," the Emperor said in an evening meeting with survivors of the Battle of Saipan in 1944, as well as former Japanese soldiers and family members of soldiers who died in the battle who are visiting the island from Japan.
Shortly before departing from Haneda airport in Tokyo, he said: "This time, on soil beyond our shores, we will once again mourn and pay tribute to all those who lost their lives in the war, and we will remember the difficult path the bereaved families had to follow, and we wish to pray for world peace.
"It is our hope that as we walk onward, all of us always keep in mind that our country today is founded on the sacrifices of these many people."