5 days ago
Japan's Princess Kako meets elderly residents of Japanese descent in Brazil
Japan's Princess Kako, who is on an official visit to Brazil, has met elderly people of Japanese ancestry near the country's largest city of Sao Paulo. The South American nation is home to the world's largest community of Japanese descendants.
The second daughter of Crown Prince and Princess Akishino visited an elderly care facility for the Japanese community on Saturday. Established in 1958, the facility currently houses about 60 people, including some aged 100 or older.
The princess was welcomed with a bouquet of flowers presented by Yuasa Tisue, a 92-year-old second-generation Japanese-Brazilian from the southern state of Parana.
Princess Kako shook hands with the residents one by one. She said she was very happy to meet them and wished them good health.
Kumada Koki, a first-generation Japanese-Brazilian, said he was very honored to meet the princess, who came from far away.
The 93-year-old, who used to work at a coffee farm in the state of Sao Paulo, also said he was moved by the once-in-a-lifetime encounter.
The princess will travel to Maringa in the state of Parana on Sunday. Many Japanese descendants also live in the city.
