TOKYO: Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit Marumori in Miyagi Prefecture and Motomiya in Fukushima Prefecture, both northeastern Japan, on Thursday to meet with people affected by Typhoon Hagibis and subsequent heavy rain in October.

The schedule was reported at a cabinet meeting on Monday.

It will be the Imperial couple's first visit to disaster-hit areas since the Emperor ascended the throne on May 1.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, the Emperor and Empress will leave Tokyo International Airport at Haneda on Thursday morning aboard a special plane. They will then transfer to a Self-Defense Force helicopter at Sendai International Airport in Miyagi to visit Marumori in the afternoon.

After inspecting an area hit by a flood caused by the typhoon in Marumori and meeting with people affected by the disaster in the town, the Imperial couple will move to Motomiya by helicopter.

They will return to Tokyo at night aboard a special plane from Fukushima Airport.

During the visit, the Emperor and Empress will also meet with police officers, firefighters, SDF officers and volunteer workers who engaged in rescue activities.

The couple may change their visit schedule depending on weather conditions, the agency said.

The agency arranged the single-day visit in consideration of possible burdens on local people, avoiding an overnight trip and long-distance travel by land.

Saddened by the damage caused by the powerful typhoon and heavy rain, the Emperor and Empress have been hoping to visit affected areas at an early date.

The typhoon caused damage to wide areas in the country. The death toll from the disaster reached the highest at 30 in Fukushima, followed by 19 in Miyagi. Ten people died in Marumori and seven in Motomiya.

JIJI Press