Empress Masako marked her 62nd birthday on December 9 by reflecting on the importance of lasting peace following visits to World War II memorial sites. Accompanied by Emperor Naruhito, she traveled to Iwoto Island, Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki to honor the war dead. She also shared thoughts on a trip to Mongolia and natural disasters.
Empress Masako turned 62 on December 9, reflecting in a statement released by the Imperial Household Agency on a year marked by visits to sites scarred by World War II, as the 80th anniversary of the war's end approached. These journeys, undertaken with Emperor Naruhito, reinforced her commitment to preserving peace amid global and national challenges.
The imperial couple's memorial visits began in April with a trip to Iwoto Island, formerly known as Iwo Jima, site of a fierce Pacific battle between Japan and the United States. This was followed by journeys to Okinawa and Hiroshima in June, and Nagasaki in September. At each location, they met with bereaved families, survivors, and young people involved in preserving war memories through storytelling. Their daughter, Princess Aiko, accompanied them to Okinawa and Nagasaki.
"I reflected deeply on the many precious lives lost in various parts of the world, including my own country," the empress said. "At each site, I offered my heartfelt condolences to those who perished." She expressed gratitude for direct accounts from wartime witnesses, noting, "As the number of people with firsthand experience of the war continues to decline, we were deeply grateful for the opportunity to hear directly from them."
The empress also thanked former Emperor Akihito and former Empress Michiko for sharing their wartime experiences, adding, "I feel it is essential that we learn humbly from past history, remember the preciousness of peace, reflect on what is necessary to preserve it, and strive toward that goal."
In July, the couple visited Mongolia on an official trip, attending a state banquet hosted by President Ukhnaa Khurelsukh and his wife, as well as the opening of the Naadam festival. They toured a national park and laid flowers at a memorial for Japanese nationals who died in Soviet custody after the war. "As I offered flowers, I reflected on the hardships and sorrows of those who lost their lives in the severe Mongolian climate while thinking of home," she recalled.
Empress Masako extended condolences to victims of natural disasters in Japan and abroad, and expressed concern over the high number of bear attacks this year. She praised two Japanese Nobel laureates in sciences and Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani's fourth MVP award. Warm sentiments were shared for the imperial family and those supporting Princess Aiko's first overseas trip to Laos last month.
A former diplomat and Harvard graduate, the empress has managed adjustment disorder since 2003. Her doctors noted ongoing treatment, with her health fluctuating after major events, though she cherishes public engagements.