TOKYO, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Saturday visited a village near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.

The one-day trip to Kawauchi, Fukushima Prefecture, is in line with the imperial couple's desire to provide encouragement to people in areas near the nuclear plant crippled by the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, said local media.

During visits, the imperial couple will observe decontamination work for about 60 houses and are also expected to visit around 90 residents living now in their temporary homes after being evacuated from their original homes.

It is the couple's first visit to the prefecture this year since last May 11 when they traveled to the cities of Fukushima and Soma.