Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will make an official visit to Canada and Hawaii in July but will not visit Pearl Harbor under a plan formalized by the government March 13.

The Imperial Couple will leave Tokyo's Haneda airport on a government jet July 3 and arrive in Ottawa later in the day on the first leg of a 15-day visit to Canada and Hawaii, the Imperial Household Agency said.

The Imperial Couple will fly July 14 to Honolulu. "The Emperor and Empress will not visit Pearl Harbor during the planned trip to Hawaii. The visit to Hawaii is not designed for the repose of the souls of the war dead," said Koichi Haraguchi, the grand master of ceremonies of the Imperial Household Agency.