HAKUI, ISHIKAWA PREF. – Crested ibises, considered a natural monument of Japan, were released into the wild on Sunday in Hakui, Ishikawa Prefecture, marking a first on the island of Honshu for the birds.
The Ishikawa Prefectural Government hopes that this will be a symbol of reconstruction from the powerful January 2024 earthquake that hit the prefecture’s Noto Peninsula.
A ceremony for the release of the birds was held the same day, with participants including Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko.
