Japanese Crown Prince and Princess travel to Paraguay to honor 90 years of migration

Crown Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko left Japan on Tuesday for an official mission to Paraguay, timed to commemorate 90 years since Japanese migrants first arrived there. The visit, the first by the prince in two decades, aims to strengthen ties with the Japanese diaspora, which numbers about 10,000 in Paraguay. The initial group of 81 settlers arrived in 1936 after Brazil closed its borders in 1934, establishing a community in La Colmena and later expanding into other regions.

Their contributions, particularly in introducing soybean cultivation suited to local conditions, helped shape Paraguay's export economy. During the trip, the couple will place flowers at a memorial honoring Japanese settlers who died during the early settlement period, and the prince reiterated the significant role of Japanese immigrants in fostering friendly relations between the two nations.