Mexican ship arrives at Yokohama port to mark 400 yrs of ties+
May 27 04:37 AM US/Eastern
YOKOHAMA, May 27 (AP) - (Kyodo)¡XA Mexican Navy training ship arrived at
the port of Yokohama on Wednesday to mark the 400th anniversary of
friendship between Japan and Mexico.
The 1,800-ton cadet training ship Cuauhtemoc called at the port southwest
of Tokyo after canceling a visit to Osaka following a request from
authorities of the city, where mass infections of new influenza have been
confirmed.
Crew members stood on a mast some 50 meters high as the vessel was welcomed
at the port in a ceremony. Mexican Ambassador to Japan Miguel Ruiz-Cabanas
said the ship's visit to Yokohama is "a symbol of peace and friendship" and
expressed hope that the two countries will further enhance their ties.
The ship left the port of Acapulco on Feb. 15 and none of the crew members
has contracted the new flu, according to the Mexican Embassy. All of them
are in good health, Yokohama quarantine officials said.
In September 1609, 317 passengers from a wrecked Mexican vessel were
rescued by local fishermen in what is now Onjuku in Chiba Prefecture. This
incident marked the beginning of friendly ties between Tokyo and Mexico
City.
Four hundred years ago, the vessel carrying Governor General of the
Philippines Rodrigo de Vivero was shipwrecked off the coast of Onjuku en
route to Nueva Espana, the name of a Spanish colony which later gained
independence as Mexico. The Philippines was also ruled by Spain at the
time.
The training ship will drop by at Tokyo port on June 6 before staying in
sea areas off Onjuku on June 12-13.
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