The Imperial Household Agency announced that Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, accompanied by their daughter Aiko, will visit the Tohoku region, specifically Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures on March 25 and 26, and Fukushima Prefecture on April 6 and 7, to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake. This visit aims to honor the victims and to learn from the experiences of disaster and recovery from local facilities, as they also meet with affected residents directly.

Since the earthquake struck in March 2011, the Imperial Couple has previously visited the three affected prefectures three times as Crown Prince and Princess. However, this marks their first visit specifically focused on inspecting disaster-affected areas. Moreover, it will be the first visit for their daughter, Aiko, to these three prefectures. During a press conference on his recent birthday, Emperor Naruhito expressed his thoughts on the ongoing hardships faced by those who lost loved ones or experienced life-altering changes due to the disaster and urged that his daughter should extend her compassion to the people in these areas.

The visits in March will include two-day trips to coastal towns like Otsuchi and Ofunato in Iwate, as well as Minamisanriku and Ishinomaki in Miyagi. The April visit will also occur over two days, covering areas such as Futaba and Okuma, which were severely impacted by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, where residents have been living in long-term evacuation. In the wake of the 10th anniversary in March 2021, they could only interact with victims online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Emperor indicated his desire to visit the disaster-stricken areas in person, which is finally coming to fruition with these planned visits.