Japan’s Princess Kako, on tour in Greece, visits National Foundation for the Deaf, Corfu

Japan's Princess Kako of Akishino paid a visit to the National Foundation for the Deaf (EIK) on Wednesday, as part of her official tour in Greece.

Japan’s Princess Kako of Akishino paid a visit to the National Foundation for the Deaf (EIK) on Wednesday, as part of her official tour in Greece.

The Japanese royal is in Greece since Sunday, on the occasion of the official celebration for the 125th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Greece and Japan and the 2024 Year of Greece-Japan Culture and Tourism.

She was welcomed at EIK by Social Cohesion & Family Minister Sophia Zacharaki, joined by the Foundation’s president Venetta Lambropoulou and two staff members who are deaf.

Princess Kako is the second daughter of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess of Japan, and was an honorary invitee of the Greek state. She is trained in the Japanese sign language and has volunteered for the national organization for deaf people in her own country.

At the Foundation, which she had requested to visit, she was given a tour of the premises, observed a class in sign language, and then spoke with students of the class in sign language. She also paid a visit to the center for infants with hearing problems and their families.

Princess Kako expressed the wish to Zacharaki that Greece and Japan develop relations and collaboration in order to exchange experiences and know-how in services to the deaf and hard of hearing.

On Wednesdsay, the princess visited the Panathenaic Stadium or ‘Kallimarmaro’ in Athens, built for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, while on Tuesday she paid a visit to the Panhellenic Gymnastics Association in Kypseli, and met with athletes training in judo. Princess Kako observed a class of judo and spoke with each young athlete individually afterwrds.

Later on Wednesday, the Japanese royal paid a visit to the island of Corfu and to the Museum of Asian Art.