Imperial Couple Tour British Columbia
These past two days had Japan’s Emperor and Empress go to Western Canada to visit two cities in British Columbia. Akihito and Michiko were briefly in Vancouver, before moving on to the province’s capital of Victoria.
- Reuters
In Vancouver Friday, the Imperial couple were greeted by local residents and leaders – Canada’s First Nation chiefs included – as they toured the Olympic Oval, one of the arenas built for the Winter Olympics, in which Vancouver would be hosting in 2010. The couple met with Canada’s speed skaters and members of a local hockey team.
There may be a chance Akihito and Michiko may return to the Oval next year, to watch the Games.
After that, the two went to Victoria. Once again, they were greeted by large crowds of Japanese-Canadians, whom have been enthralled by seeing Japan’s Imperial couple.
“It was so nice to see them so close,” said Kazuyo Iga, who originates from Osaka. “They are very special people.”
“We can’t get this close to the Emperor in Japan” said Takoaki Naito who has been in Canada for 30 years.
In Victoria, the couple met with Lieutenant Governor Steven Point and Premier Gordon Campbell. Saturday saw them tour the Institute of Ocean Sciences in nearby Sidney.
- Reuters
Sunday, Akihito and Michiko will return to Vancouver, this time to visit a Japanese language school. There has been some controversy over Their Majesties going to the school, because the neighborhood it is in, is ridden with drug addicts who casually use hard drugs such cocaine and heroin out in the open.
“It took weeks of intense, behind-the-scenes lobbying to overcome initial resistance to the idea of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko venturing through neighborhoods few tourists see,” reported Canada’s Globe and Mail newspaper, which described the area’s streets as “rife with the boarded-up businesses and daily horrors.”
Another controversy swirling around the imperial couple’s visit was the memory of how the Japanese committed atrocities throughout East Asia during World War II. Some Vancouver groups publicly expressed hope that Emperor Akihito would apologize in some way about the way his country behaved during that time.
No protests related to that controversy have been reported so far during the visit to British Columbia.
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Tags: Canada, Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, state visit
