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Historic visit begins
Japanese Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko arrived in Paraguay on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, for an official state visit marking 90 years since the beginning of Japanese immigration to the South American country.
“arrived in Paraguay on Wednesday, 19 August 2026”
The visit follows a formal invitation extended last year by President Santiago Peña during a meeting with representatives of the Japanese Imperial Household in Osaka, and it is intended to reinforce diplomatic ties between Paraguay and Japan.
The itinerary includes trips to the Japanese colonies of La Colmena in the Paraguarí department and Yguazú in Alto Paraná, where the royal couple will meet members of the Nikkei community.
A central part of the official agenda is the commission and flag-raising ceremony for the DRM-5 “Paraguay” dredger, which the Japanese government donated to the National Navigation and Ports Administration (ANNP) to help maintain vital riverways.
Diplomatic relations between Japan and Paraguay were first established in 1919, and in recent years the relationship has been elevated to a “strategic partnership,” reflecting collaboration on economic development and international affairs.
Diaspora stories and ceremonies
A Japanese language school in La Colmena has become a community hub for Japanese culture as Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko are scheduled to visit the settlement during their official tour.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that in the La Colmena settlement, about 130 kilometers southeast of Asuncion, the first group of 81 Japanese settlers from 11 households arrived in August 1936.
The Yomiuri Shimbun also quoted Yashima Suzuki, 92, saying, “The Pacific War began in 1941, and we were unable to go back,” describing how Paraguay cut diplomatic relations with Japan and put the settlement under government surveillance.
Kyodo, via 毎日新聞, said the prince told a press conference before his first visit to Paraguay in two decades, “I look forward to hearing their stories again.”
During the visit, the prince and princess are scheduled to lay flowers at a memorial for Japanese descendants who died in incidents during the settlement period, and the imperial family’s milestone-year visits include a crown prince trip in 2006 and Princess Mako’s 2016 visit.
Nine-day itinerary and outreach
NHKニュース said Japan’s Crown Prince and Princess Akishino departed for Paraguay on Tuesday on a government plane from Tokyo's Haneda Airport, with Princess Kako seeing them off at their residence.
“left on a government plane from Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Tuesday”
NHKニュース reported that during the nine-day trip the couple is scheduled to attend a commemorative ceremony in the capital Asuncion and meet President Santiago Pena Palacios.
El Nacional said the schedule runs until August 26 and includes activities in Asunción, La Colmena, and Yguazú, with meetings with authorities and representatives of the Nikkei community.
El Nacional also described a diplomatic and economic dimension, saying both governments explore new opportunities in trade, investment, and cooperation, while the visit includes a flag-raising ceremony for the new dredger DRM-5 “Paraguay” donated by the Government of Japan through JICA.
El Nacional further stated that on Friday the 21st Prince Akishino will deliver a speech during the commemorative ceremony at the Conmebol Convention Center, and that same day a visit to Nihon Gakko School is planned as part of the Nikkei community outreach program.