Prince Naruhito (second right) bidding farewell to some members of the diplomatic corps in Ghana. With them is Ghana's Vice-President, Mr John Mahama
The special Japanese aircraft carrying Prince Naruhito and his 30-member delegation took off at the Kotoka International Airport at 9:15 a.m.
The Crown Prince exchanged pleasantries with the Vice-President, Mr John Dramani Mahama; the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Chris Kpodoh; the Japanese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Keiichi Katakami, and other members of the Diplomatic Corps before boarding the aircraft.
He also waved at Japanese volunteers from the Japanese Overseas Co-operation Volunteers (JOCV) to acknowledge their presence. In response, the volunteers raised the Japanese flag till the aircraft took off.
Prince Naruhito will end his two-leg African tour in Kenya before leaving for Japan.
While in Accra, the Prince called on President John Evans Atta Mills at the Castle, Osu, and the President hosted a lunch in his honour.
The Crown Prince also visited the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where he planted a tree and laid a wreath. He later visited the Mary Star of the Sea International School, a school at Kasoa which teaches the Japanese language, and the Dr Noguchi Laboratory at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Prince Naruhito met with Japanese citizens resident in Ghana and former scholarship recipients.
The Japanese Ambassador, Mr Katakami, also hosted him to a dinner.
The Prince was a special guest at the First Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize Memorial Symposium at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel.
At the luncheon, Prince Naruhito said his visit to Ghana would herald a new era of exchanges between the two countries and enhance the mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of both nations.
He noted that the path of friendship between Ghana and Japan which Dr Noguchi left on this land had been flourishing.
President Mills, for his part, recalled the bond of friendship between the two countries and described the visit to the country by the Prince as “a great honour for those of us in Ghana and sub-Saharan Africa”.
He commended the Crown Prince for choosing Ghana for his first visit to Africa and lauded the support provided over the years by Japan in education, agriculture, health, among other things, saying, “Your contributions are so many and varied that it will take time to recount all.”
At the symposium, Prince Naruhito called for a concerted effort among the international community, African governments and health professionals to reduce the spread of infectious diseases in Africa.
He again stressed the need for medical professionals working on diseases such as malaria, yellow fever and HIV/AIDS in Africa to be “encouraged once more to devote themselves to their respective activities”.
