Funeral Held For Hokkaido Tour Boat Victim
A funeral was held on Monday for a man who died after a tour boat he boarded with his girlfriend sank off Japan's northern prefecture of Hokkaido on April 23.
Family members and friends bid their final farewell to Suzuki Tomoya, aged 22, during the funeral held in Obihiro City, Hokkaido, where his parents' house is located.
The venue was decorated with nearly 100 photos. A video Suzuki took with his girlfriend was shown on a TV screen.
An orange down jacket was also on display. Suzuki's father bought it after the accident for his son, who lost his life in the cold sea.
Suzuki and his girlfriend, who remains missing, were on the sightseeing boat "KAZU I" that sank off the Shiretoko Peninsula in the eastern part of Hokkaido.
Suzuki reportedly planned to propose her on board. His relatives disclosed that a letter Suzuki wrote to his girlfriend was found in his car. A necklace that is believed to have been a gift for her was also found in the car.
The letter, dated April 23, begins by congratulating her for her birthday. It reads, "We are destined to be together and I can't find any other girl with whom I can get on so well. Thank you for supporting me and loving me. I will always love you."
The letter continues, "I love you. Will you be my wife?" and ends with, "I'll be waiting for your reply on July 7." The day would have been his 23rd birthday.
Among the 26 people on board the tour boat, 14 have been confirmed dead and 12 others remain missing.