The Imperial Household Agency is making arrangements for Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako to visit Kumamoto Prefecture in late September, which marked the 10th anniversary in April of a pair of powerful earthquakes that rocked the prefecture, informed sources have said.
During an envisaged two-day visit, the emperor and the empress are expected to inspect progress in reconstruction programs in areas devastated by the 2016 earthquakes and meet with people affected by the disaster, the sources said Saturday.
It would be the first visit for the Imperial couple to areas hit by the earthquakes since the emperor ascended the throne in 2019.
“Even now, remembering the enormous damage caused by disasters to various parts of the country pains my heart,” the emperor told a news conference in February, adding that he will remain focused on people in disaster-hit areas.