National Tree Planting Ceremony for first time in Okinawa in 2019

The National Land Afforestation Promotion Organization decided in its general meeting on Tuesday in Tokyo to hold the 2019 National Tree Planting Ceremony in Okinawa.

This marks the first time for the ceremony to be held in Okinawa. This year’s tree-planting ceremony is held in Aichi Prefecture.

Okinawa Vice Governor Mitsuo Ageda who attended the meeting is pleased to have the ceremony in Okinawa, and said, “We are working on activities to make Okinawa green, full with flowers and greenery, so I am honored that the National Tree Planting Ceremony will be held in Okinawa in 2019.”

The National Tree Planting Ceremony is usually held in an area where an official memorial tree-planting ceremony has been held before. The Crown Prince of Japan always attends the prestigious national ceremony.

An official memorial tree-planting ceremony was held in Itoman in 1993 as a part of the 20th anniversary celebrations of Okinawa’s reversion to Japan. In the ceremony, the Emperor planted Okinawa pines and the Empress planted Garcinias. 10,000 attendees from all over Japan planted 10,000 trees of 24 different species.

HAMGAWA4

04:37 15 Dec , 2024