Crown Prince helps excavate Mongolia fossils

ULAN BATOR (Kyodo) Crown Prince Naruhito visited Mongolia's Natural History Museum and a paleontology center in Ulan Bator and took part in fossil excavation work Thursday.

In the museum, which exhibits fossils of dinosaurs and dinosaur eggs that have been found in the Gobi desert, the Crown Prince saw exhibits including skeletal specimens of the carnivorous Tarbosaurs.

At the paleontology center, which focuses on conservation and restoration of fossils, he assisted with fossil-extraction work by removing sand with a brush and said it requires great patience.

Earlier in the day, he visited the Japanese ambassador's residence and chatted with about 20 Japanese residents of Mongolia. One of them, Yukio Kasuga, 86, received the prince's gratitude for his efforts in getting a support facility built for orphans in a suburb of Ulan Bator.