Victims Mourned ahead of Haneda Collision 1st Anniversary

   Tokyo, Dec. 23 (Jiji Press)--A memorial ceremony was held Monday for the five Japan Coast Guard members killed in the collision between a JCG plane and a Japan Airlines passenger aircraft that occurred at Tokyo's Haneda Airport on Jan. 2 this year.
   The ceremony took place at a facility of the JCG's third regional headquarters on the premises of the airport, bringing together about 70 people including officials from the regional headquarters and bereaved relatives.
   After the attendees offered silent prayers for the five victims, who belonged to the regional headquarters, Shinji Miyamoto, head the branch, said in a speech: "It was an unprecedentedly tragic accident. Without refusing to face the reality, we've worked with the determination that we will never repeat such a sad accident."
   "You will always be on our minds," he added, paying tribute to the deceased JCG members.
   "We sincerely hope that the loss of the precious lives of our loved ones will never be wasted" and that the tragedy will serve as a lesson for the future, the bereaved relatives said in a statement released through their representatives.

(2024/12/23-14:33)