Japanese ceremony conducted in Wewak

PEOPLE from Wewak town, East Sepik province, last Thursday, witnessed a memorial service conducted by Japanese nationals.
The gomahoyo ceremony or memorial service was attended by 250 Japanese who flew into Wewak after conducting the same service in Solomon Islands.
The service was the first of each kind in the province and it was purposely to pray and bring back the souls of Japanese soldiers who served in World War II in the Pacific and lost their lives and to pray for peace in the whole world.
Wewak and Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands were two locations in the Pacific that the Japanese choose to hold this memorial service.
East Sepik Japanese Peace Park Trust president Sakarai Anton said this event would bring in Japanese nationals and hope for more such activities in the future.
Mr Anton said the pilgrimage, memorial and other tours bring in more tourists from Japan and this provides an avenue for potential investment by the Japanese people in the country and province.
He said the province had potentials in attracting tourist and a collective effort from the different sectors was needed to help boost this industry to the next level.
Mr Anton said Japan invested a lot in the country and the promotion of tourism industry in the province should be carried out by different sectors to attract investors into the country.
Mr Anton is appealing to the Government and Air Niugini management to maintain the Narita-Port Moresby route which will help in bringing more tourists into the country.
This will boost the industry in the country.