Japan’s crown prince honours settlers who built Paraguay ties

Japan’s Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko attended a ceremony on Friday marking 90 years of Japanese immigration to Paraguay, with the prince praising in a speech the contributions made by the immigrants and their descendants to the South American country.In an address at the event near the Paraguayan capital Asuncion, the crown prince, the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, touched on how the immigrants overcame hardships and have taken root in Paraguay. Around 650 people including President Santiago Pena and his wife took part.The crown prince said that the two countries owed much of their close ties to the Japanese immigrants and their descendants and expressed hope they would continue to act as a bridge.Crown Prince Fumihito speaks during a ceremony commemorating the 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration to Paraguay in Luque, Paraguay, on Friday. Photo: EPAPena thanked the Japanese community for its contributions to agriculture, education and society, which he said all showed Paraguay’s multicultural identity.