Japan's Crown Prince and Princess Akishino have attended the opening ceremony of a convention of Japanese emigrants and their descendants.

The Convention of Nikkei and Japanese Abroad held its first face-to-face gathering in four years on Monday in Tokyo. It brought together about 180 people from 17 countries, including Brazil and Peru, with more than 330 others attending online.

In his address to the convention, the Crown Prince said he expects lively discussions to take place during the meeting, going beyond the boundaries of regions and generations and the differences between Japanese and non-Japanese.

The couple were seen waving to participants holding up their national flags when the names of their countries were called.

Juan Carlos Nakasone, who heads an association of Japanese immigrants and their descendants in Peru, spoke. It has been 150 years since Japan and Peru established diplomatic relations.

Nakasone said the traditional cultural expressions passed on from ancestors, as well as the nurturing of modern cultural expressions, are a valuable tool that people can use to pave the way for the future in a changing world. He said they can also help bridge the gaps between different cultures.

A declaration will be announced on the final day of the three-day convention.