Pacific Eagle Enterprises Inc. vice president Aya Matsumoto said this is the fifth year for the Nenpou Shinkyo group to come here to conduct the peace memorial ceremony. The group is expected to arrive tonight.
“The Nenpou Shinkyo Buddhist Denomination group is a Japanese religious group that makes its annual pilgrimage to the CNMI for their devotions each year. The group will be doing a cleanup around the area first tomorrow morning before they will conduct the peace ceremony on Sunday,” Matsumoto said.
In 2009, over 200 Japanese came here for the peace memorial ceremony and pay respects and pray for those who died here during the war but the number drastically decreased because there were no more direct flights from Osaka to Saipan.
“Last year, there were less than 60 of them. We could have more Japanese visitors coming here if we still have the direct flights from Osaka,” Matsumoto said.
She added that 66 Buddhists who will be arriving here come from different parts of Japan. The Nenpou Shinkyo Buddhist Denomination has about 88 shrines all over the country.
Matsumoto said they have also invited local officials to join the annual ceremony on Sunday.
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