Japan's royal couple head to Canada, Hawaii

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hope to reach out to Americans and Canadians of Japanese ancestry during a two-week tour that began Friday, but they won't be going to Pearl Harbor.

"Both Canada and the state of Hawaii are home to many people of Japanese ancestry," Akihito said in a statement ahead of the trip. "We are looking forward to meeting these people in various places during our trip and further deepen our understanding of the paths they have taken to this day."

There had been speculation in the Japanese media that they might go to Pearl Harbor, which would have been the first visit by an emperor to the scene of Japan's …