As part of their state visit to Indonesia, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako offered flowers at Kalibata Heroes Cemetery in Jakarta on Tuesday in honor of former Japanese soldiers who fought in the Indonesian War of Independence after Tokyo's surrender in World War II.
Twenty-eight former Japanese soldiers who remained in Indonesia after the end of the Japanese occupation and joined the fight for independence from the Dutch Empire are buried at the cemetery, along with other Indonesian national heroes.
The emperor expressed his hope that this visit would spark greater engagement between Japanese and Indonesians. He also said that he and the empress hoped that they would learn more about the country.