A lantern floating ceremony was held in Ueno Village, Gunma Prefecture, ahead of the 40th anniversary of the Japan Airlines plane crash.

JAL 123 crashed on the ridges of Mt. Osutaka on August 12, 1985, killing 520 people.

200 lanterns were floated on the river this year to commemorate the victims.

Messages on some lanterns read “safety of the sky,” or “how precious those times were — it’s already been 40 years.”

A man who lost his father also attended the ceremony. Participant /  There have been alcohol-related issues within Japan Airlines.  I hope they will use this 40th anniversary as an opportunity to get their act together and build a solid foundation for safety.

The bereaved family members and others plan to have a commemorative hike on August 12 and to hold a memorial ceremony.