A wreath-laying ceremony took place at Sailors’ Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax on Monday. Members of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and Royal Canadian Navy were present for the morning ceremony, with the ceremonial guard carrying unloaded rifles. The commemoration is part of a visit by the Japan Training Squadron, aimed at honouring the friendship and Maritime relationship between Canada and Japan, according to a news release from National Defence. “From our perspective, it fosters relations with our Japanese cohort, and for our sake it’s excellent to be able to work with a Pacific navy in Halifax. That’s quite a rare experience for Halifax sailors,” says Emily Anglin, Royal Canadian Navy operations officer. The Japanese ships Kashima and Yamagiri arrived on Sunday, with many residents spotting the sailors in the Halifax Harbour. They’re set to depart Wednesday morning. “Halifax is one of their many stops as they circumnavigate the world,” says Anglin. “We’re just happy that they’re here, it’s interesting for us, it’s been lovely to host them and we look forward to hosting them again soon.” For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
