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50th Anniversary of Their Imperial Highnesses Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko's Visit to Seattle
During the 50 years following the visit by the Imperial Couple, the peoples of Washington State and Japan have become connected through business, cultural and educational exchange, as well as through friendship. I hope you join me in strengthening these bonds over the next 50 years!
I.May, June and July of 1960: A Dark Hour for Japan
50 years ago it was the centennial of Japanese-American relations. At that time, however, our security and bilateral relations were very strained. Earlier that year, we signed a revised US-Japan Security Treaty. Unfortunately, revisions to the Treaty were not well understood by the Japanese public. The Second World War was only 15 years in the past, and the Cold War was in full swing, so they were extremely wary of anything related to the military. The tumultuous passing of the Treaty in the Lower House sparked large-scale demonstrations outside the Diet. Sadly, these protests culminated in the death of a promising female university student. In the end, the Treaty became effective without the vote of the Upper House of the Diet. Because of the upheaval, the official visit of President Eisenhower had to be cancelled. Prime Minister Kishi announced his resignation, then was stabbed nearly to death, and his cabinet was immediately disbanded. Japan was mired in turmoil, and both governments worried about the future of our relationship.
II. A Journey of Healing and Hope
It was in these difficult circumstances that their Imperial Highnesses Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko departed for the United States on September 22nd 1960. They had married in 1959, and this was their first tour overseas as an imperial couple, but it was far from a honeymoon! Princess Michiko left the 7 month old Prince Naruhito behind in Japan so she could dedicate herself completely to their imperial mission. She left instructions with her aides on how to care for him. These were later formulated into “Naruchan Kempo” a best-selling bible for young mothers about child rearing still used today.
The Imperial Prince and Princess visited 8 cities in 14 days. In Honolulu they visited Pearl Harbor. In San Francisco they visited Kinmon Gakuen Japanese Language School, and enjoyed Disneyland in Los Angeles. They arrived at the airport in Washington DC with full military honors and attended an official white tie dinner at the White House with President and Mrs. Eisenhower.
Every day, photos, films and newspaper articles about the imperial couple’s tour of the US excited the Japanese public. Place by place, and meeting by meeting, the Prince and Princess devoted themselves to encouraging friendship between our peoples. Japanese woke with anticipation each morning to see what new sights the imperial couple had seen or who they had met across the sea in the United States.
After Washington DC, the Prince and Princess visited New York, Chicago, and on Tuesday Oct 4th at 3:30pm arrived at Sea-Tac Airport. They made their way to Fairmount Olympic Hotel, where the Crown Prince gave a greeting to 2,000 Seattleites. The couple enjoyed a black tie banquet at the Royal Ballroom of the hotel jointly organized by the Centennial Royal Visit Committee and Japan America Society. 850 guests attended.
On October 5th, the imperial couple visited the Japanese Garden, which had opened only 4 months earlier, and was welcomed by the Japanese Community Service of Seattle and a Japanese-American Boy Scout musical band. The Crown Princess planted a European White Birch, which is the emblem on her personal seal, and the Crown Prince planted a Mt. Fuji Cherry tree. These trees symbolized the couple’s prayers for peace and friendship between our two peoples. After the planting, Crown Prince sailed on Lake Washington to Renton to visit the Boeing Factory while Princess Michiko visited the Seattle Art Museum and had a private lunch with Madam Fujisaki, the wife of the then-Consul General of Japan in Seattle at the former Official Residence in Magnolia. The couple then rushed to the airport and departed at 3:00pm for Portland, the final stop on their trip.
A real whirlwind tour, wasn’t it! I’m not sure how, but it was sunny the entire time!
III. 50 Years Later: Prayers Fulfilled
Since the imperial visit 50 years ago, Japan and Washington State have worked together, and can boast many achievements. In 1976 Prime Minister Miki, formerly a student in Seattle, gifted 1,000 Yae-Kanzan cherry trees to commemorate the bicentennial of the United States. The annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Seattle began shortly afterwards, and continues to this day. 1998 saw the start of Sakura Con, a springtime convention for Japanese anime and manga. Aki Matsuri, a fall festival celebrating Japanese culture on the East Side, began in the same year.
In addition, we have 36 sister city and state-prefecture relationships between Washington State and Japan. Thanks to the Sister City framework we enjoy many exchange programs, especially for our younger generations. Japan still remembers Seattle and the State of Washington extending kind assistance to Kobe and Hyogo after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995.
In terms of trade, did you know that Japan’s trade with the State of Washington alone is equal to our trade with the entire United Kingdom? Japan has strong bonds with Washington-based companies such as Boeing, Weyerhaeuser, Microsoft, Amazon, Starbucks, and many others. We are also very proud of our high technology joint research and investment. Our two economies are interconnected, and we are the two largest market economies, accounting for over one-third of the world economy!
Over the last 50 years, approximately 1 million Japanese students have studied in the United States, and around 24,000 Americans have participated in the JET program teaching English in Japan.
On the security front, we have 50,000 US military personnel in service in Japan right now, and 45,000 family members enjoying life in Japan together with them. Some members of the military bring Japanese spouses with them when they return home!
Our security relations extended in scope in the 1990’s so that Japan can share responsibility with the United States to help maintain peace in a global perspective. Very few Japanese doubt our security relations, instead touting them as invaluable. Many Asian countries welcome this union and look forward to future peace and prosperity in the region. In recent opinion polls, over 80% of Japanese support our current security relations and are fond of Americans, and just as many Americans feel the same way about Japan.
IV.Closing
Over the last 50 years, we have succeeded in living up to the prayers that the Crown Prince and Princess hoped would come true.
As some of you may remember, on September 16th, Ambassador Fujisaki, son of the former Consul General of Japan in Seattle, and his wife had a ceremony at the Japanese Garden. Praying for continued friendship for the next 50 years, they renewed the life of the cherry tree and white birch planted by the imperial couple. The trees are mortal so we have to care for them continuously, just as we must continue to take good care of our bilateral relationship. We hope that you will join us in further enhancing this partnership.