The Emperor and Empress told the press they would like to deepen Japan's understanding of Brazil and Argentina on May 16, two weeks before embarking on an official visit to the two countries May 30.
Meeting reporters at the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Couple said they would like to see firsthand the countries' efforts to overcome the difficulties that resulted from the shift from military to civilian rule.
The Imperial Couple visited Brazil and Argentina in 1967 and paid a visit to Brazil again in 1978 as the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.
About the recently solved hostage crisis in Peru, the Emperor offered his condolences over the deaths of the Peruvian supreme court judge and two soldiers in the rescue operation and expressed his gratitude to all those who made efforts to solve the crisis.