Overview
- On December 21 in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko toured the “Ishikawa Koyo Photo Exhibition: Tokyo under wartime.”
- The showcase presents about 40 images taken by Tokyo Metropolitan Police photographer Ishikawa Koyo (Ishikawa Takeo) from 1937 through August 1945.
- Scenes include wreckage of a downed U.S. aircraft, burned-out districts, displaced residents, civil-defense firefighting drills, and student mobilization during the Pacific War.
- The Emperor noted the photos were in good condition and the Empress called them valuable materials, while Princess Aiko asked detailed questions about when the images were taken after air raids.
- The family met postwar-born narrators at the museum, including Ai Hasebe and Azusa Toyota, and encouraged their efforts to pass on wartime experiences.