Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan have attended the war memorial service for those who fought in World War II.
The ceremony took place in the Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery in Tokyo and was held for the first time in three years due to the global health crisis. While most royals in Europe have stopped wearing masks as the pandemic has slowly subsided, Japan is still facing high numbers of infections. As such, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess and all those in attendance wore masks, following health guidelines in Japan.
This year’s ceremony included the interment of 217 people, some of whose bodies were collected from Russia. The Crown Prince Couple were joined by government officials and around 60 relatives of the deceased.
Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko bowed in front of the burial location before relatives laid flowers in tribute to their loved ones.
The cemetery is now the resting place of 370,269 people.
The Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery is where unidentified bodies were laid to rest after the war. It is located near the Imperial Palace and Yasukuni Shrine.
Crown Prince Akishino is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, who came to the throne upon the abdication of their father, Akihito, in 2019.
