Former islanders of the four islands of the Northern Kuril Islands make a memorial service from the sky on a charter plane October 21, 14:09
While the exchange project for former islanders to visit the four islands of the Northern Territories was canceled due to the influence of the new coronavirus, a project to memorialize from the sky on a charter plane began on the 21st.
All exchange projects such as "Visa-free exchange" and "Northern grave visit" where former islanders visit the four northern islands have been canceled due to the influence of the new coronavirus, and Hokkaido has newly chartered an airplane from the sky. It was decided to carry out a memorial service.
On the 21st, the departure ceremony for the first flight was held at Nakashibetsu Airport in eastern Hokkaido, and Governor Naomichi Suzuki of Hokkaido said, "I would like to use this aerial memorial service to foster momentum and raise public opinion toward the resolution of the Northern Territories issue. I hope that everyone who participates will have the opportunity to think about their predecessors. "
After that, 30 people, including former islanders and their families, boarded the first flight and took off after 10:45 am.
The charter plane flew over the coastal area from the Shiretoko Peninsula to the Nemuro Peninsula for about an hour and returned to the airport so that we could see the Kunashiri Island and the Habomai Islands from the window.
Mr. Hiroshi Tokuno (86) from Shikotan Island who participated said, "I was very happy as a former islander because I was blessed with the weather and could see the Northern Territories. From the sky, my hometown Northern Territories is a magnificent island. I realized that this experience would make "Northern Tomb Visit" and "Free Visit" absolutely possible next year. "
The memorial service from the sky will be held five times over the two days of the 21st and the 25th of this month, with a total of 127 people scheduled to participate.