Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited a Japanese World War Two shrine south of Manila on Friday (January 29).
The royal couple are on an official visit to the Philippines to celebrate 60 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Descendants of fallen Japanese soldiers accompanied the royals in offering flowers and prayers at the monument.
“I didn’t know what he looked like so I wanted to come here and see the place and pray at the place where he fell,” said Hisata Mihoko, one of the descendants whose father died in the war.
The memorial garden where the shrine is located was commissioned by both the Japanese and Philippine governments in 1978 to honour Japanese soldiers killed during World War II.
More than half a million Japanese soldiers were killed during their invasion of the Philippines between 1942-1945. Two cities, including the capital, Manila, were destroyed.
Mizuochi Toshiei, President of the Japan War-Bereaved Families Association, said he was touched by the royal couple’s sincerity.
“The Emperor’s feelings towards the war dead are strong. And the Emperor has expressed condolences not only for Japanese, but also American and Filipino soldiers who fell in battle. And I was very touched by the words of the Emperor, which he always repeats, about the inestimable value of peace,” he said.
Earlier on Friday, a group of Filipino “comfort women”, forced to work in Japanese military brothels during World War Two, staged a protest outside the Japanese embassy in Manila to demand an apology from the Japanese government for its war crimes.
The women sought an audience with the Japanese royals, hoping to bring their decades-old demand for an apology and compensation. Just last month, South Korea comfort women saw a breakthrough when a landmark agreement was reached with Japan to resolve the issue that has plagued diplomatic ties since the end of the war.
“We are calling on the Emperor of Japan, who is visiting our country right now, to finally provide the compensation that we’ve been asking for all these years. Only a few of us remain alive,” said former Filipino comfort woman Isabelita Vinuya.
A presidential spokesperson on Wednesday (January 27) said no political issues were discussed during a personal meeting between President Benigno Aquino and Akihito, including the issue of Filipino comfort women.
During a state dinner hosted by Aquino after the meeting, Akihito however expressed deep remorse over Japanese aggression in the region during World War Two, and thanked Aquino for the warm welcome and strong relationship between the nations.
This is the first trip by a Japanese reigning royal to the Southeast Asian region, and comes just over 70 years since the end of World War II. The last time the couple toured the Philippines was in 1962 when Akihito was crown prince.
The royals will depart the Philippines for Tokyo on Saturday (January 30). (Reuters)