Japan Emperor, Empress Attend Tree-Planting Festival in Ehime

Matsuyama, Ehime Pref., May 17 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 76th National Tree-Planting Festival in Matsuyama, the capital of the western Japan prefecture of Ehime, on Sunday. It was the first time the prefecture has hosted the event since 1966. In his address at a ceremony of the festival, the Emperor said he was moved that trees planted at the festival 60 years ago are now being used for benches and other purposes at the venue. “It is our important responsibility to pass on rich forests, along with the technologies and culture that have nurtured them, to the next generation and beyond,” he added. The Imperial couple then planted six types of saplings, including cedar and cypress, and sowed seeds of four varieties, including black pine. Earlier in the day, they visited Tobe Zoological Park in the town of Tobe in the same prefecture, where they viewed “Peace,” Japan’s first successfully hand-reared polar bear, now 26 years old. The Empress said: “So cute. Its eyes are so gentle.” The Emperor expressed concern about the bear’s epilepsy, telling caretaker Atsuhiro Takaichi, 56, “That must be worrying.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]