Japanese royalty honor American war dead

HONOLULU, July 16 (UPI) -- Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko Wednesday laid a wreath and prayed silently at the graves of Americans soldiers.

The emperor and empress laid a wreath of chrysanthemums to honor the war dead, the Honolulu Advertiser reported. More than 50,000 U.S. military personnel, many of the victims of Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor that drew the United States into the war, are buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

The royal couple were met at the cemetery by U.S. military leaders, troops and government officials. The solemn ceremony was punctuated by cannon fire, a 21-gun salute and a flyover by military jets, and dampened by rain. Both countries' national anthems were played and taps was sounded to honor the fallen soldiers.

The royal couple also had lunch with Gov. Linda Lingle and later was feted at a banquet to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation.

The royal couple arrived in Honolulu Tuesday after an 11-day tour of Canada.