With this year marking the 15th anniversary of the March 2011 major earthquake and tsunami, the agency is making arrangements for the Emperor and the Empress to visit the three northeastern prefectures of Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima, which were hit hardest by the disaster, in spring in order to inspect progress in reconstruction efforts.
The Imperial couple is also expected to visit Kumamoto Prefecture in autumn, as this year will mark the 10th anniversary of the major earthquakes in the southwestern prefecture in April 2016.
They will also visit Ehime, Aomori, Kochi and Osaka prefectures for four major annual regional events they attend every year, including a national tree-planting festival.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
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