Japanese Crown Prince and Princess Mark 90 Years of Migration to Paraguay

Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko took part in a ceremony in Asunción on Friday that marked the 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Paraguay. The event, attended by President Santiago Pena, his spouse and roughly 650 guests, featured a speech in which the prince praised the contributions of Japanese settlers and their descendants, noting how they overcame early difficulties and helped forge close bilateral relations.

He expressed hope that the community would continue to serve as a bridge between the two nations. Prior to the ceremony, the couple laid flowers at a memorial to deceased settlers and met with Japanese-Paraguayan residents, a group now numbering about 10,000. The first group of 81 immigrants from 11 families arrived in 1936 and founded a settlement in La Colmena. Elder Ikuko Matsumiya, who arrived in 1956, welcomed the imperial visit as a sign of ongoing recognition.