Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko plan to visit Pearl Harbor around July, sources close to Japan-U.S. relations said March 1.

The visit to the scene of Japan's surprise attack that ignited the Pacific War would take place on the Imperial Couple's way back from an offcial trip to Canada planned for this summer, with the Japanese and U.S. governments working to finalize the schedule, the sources said.

Such an event would symbolize the postwar reconciliation between the two countries as no sitting Japanese prime minister has gone to Pearl Harbor. House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono visited in December.