Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko: Current Events Part 1: May 2003 - September 2006

[merampo]

Japanese Emperor Akihito, left, and Empress Michiko arrive at a hotel to attend a charity dinner for "Save The Children Japan" in Tokyo, Wednesday, May 17, 2006.(AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)

2:NNN news

 

[Mandy]

Thank you merampo. The Empress looks very elegant and I love the two-tone colour of her gown.

 

[fanletizia]

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and Mrs. Annan meet with His Majesty Emperor Akihito and Her Majesty Michiko the Empress of Japan Thursday May 18, 2006 at the Imperial Palace. Annan on Thursday called for a cooling of the rhetoric in the standoff over Iran's nuclear program, saying he hoped current Security Council discussions would give new momentum toward a solution. Annan's comments, in an advance text of a speech at Japan's prestigious Tokyo University


from polfoto

 

[fanletizia]

In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Empress Michiko, left, picks silkworms to put them onto beds, shown rear center, to make cocoons with the help of sericulture center chief Yoshisuke Sato during the annual sericultural work called 'Jozoku' in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Wednesday, May 24, 2006. As part of the Japanese tradition of sericulture the empress symbolically raises silkworms and some of the silk will be used to reproduce old textile material of historical value preserved by the palace

from yahoo/ap

 

[puresnow]

Very nice pictures.

thank you very much!!!

 

[mandyy]

May 20-22
Emperor, empress attend annual tree-planting ceremony

An annual tree-planting ceremony took place Sunday in Gero, Gifu Prefecture, with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko taking part..................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060521/kyodo/d8hnvpc80.html
http://img113.imageshack.us/my.php?image=0605221l9tt.jpg
#1,4,6: Mainici news
#2,5: JIJI press
#3,4: Yomiuri news
#7: Sankei web

 

[mandyy]

Photo released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan shows Emperor Akihito greeting Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo 23 May 2006. Badawi is on a weeklong visit to Japan.

#1: Profimedia
#2: JIJI press

 

[mandyy]

May 27, 2006.
Emperor Akihito visited Yokosuka City Museum today in Kanagawa.
#1: Shikoku news

 

[mandyy]

A child reading a translation of children's book written by the Empress, the child at the left is reading a children's book written by Princess Hisako of Takamado
from JIJI press
http://img363.imageshack.us/my.php?image=44286142qe.jpg

GSDF begins handout of picture books in Iraq
A Ground Self-Defense Force unit in Iraq has begun delivering 24,000 picture books, including works by Imperial family members, to schools in Samawah............"Hajimete no Yamanobori" is based on a story told by Sayako Kuroda when she was 6 years old to her mother, the Empress, about a mountain climbing expedition the family took in 1975. In the story, a girl succeeds in climbing a mountain, encouraged by the thought that an unseen serow goat was watching over her...............
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20060514TDY02001.htm

 

[monica17]

Many thanks, mandyy, for the latest updates - especially on the book distributed by the Japan Foundation in Iraq. I wish we could get a copy of it! Nevertheless, it was a very nice gesture from the Imperial Family and a very good project by the Japan Foundation. Hope our little Iraqi brothers and sisters get inspired by it - and that their lives can have a bit more happiness from it.

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted a tea party for Turin Winter para olyimpic athletes at the Imperial Palace on May 29, 2006.

#1: Kyodo news
#2: JIJI press

 

[mandyy]

In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Empress Michiko, left, collects cocoons from silkworm beds for the first time this year with the help of sericulture center chief Yoshisuke Sato during the annual sericultural work called 'Hatsu Mayukaki, ' or the first cocoon picking, in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Tuesday, May 30, 2006. As part of the Japanese tradition of sericulture the empress symbolically raises silkworms and some of the silk will be used to reproduce old textile material of historical value preserved by the palace.
From Profimedia

 

[puresnow]

She looks very elegant.

 

[mandyy]

Empress Michiko has cold, cold sores; no change in Asia trip next week

............Ichiro Kanazawa, medical supervisor of the Imperial Household, said Empress Michiko became ill around Wednesday and reported symptoms including fever and sores around her mouth................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060602/kyodo/d8hvqlb00.html

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Empress Michiko and Emperor Akihito visited Emperor Hirohito and Empress Nagako's tomb on May 31, 2006 prior to their East Asian visit to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

From TBS news

 

[mandyy]

Kunaicho have updated with some new photos
Below from May 26, 2006 meeting officals from Philippines

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted a tea party for Turin Winter para olyimpic athletes at the Imperial Palace on May 29, 2006.

 

[mandyy]

Welsh officials felt banquet was too coarse for Akihito
Officials feared they had embarrassed the then Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko by subjecting them to a rather unrefined medieval banquet during their trip to Britain in June 1976, according to files released to Kyodo News under freedom of information laws.

In a review of the visit sent to the British Embassy in Tokyo from the Far Eastern Department in London, officials said that while the couple was impressed with the entertainment at Cardiff Castle in Wales, "they found it rather strange to have to eat with their fingers, with bibs round their necks, and to drink sweat mead while the compere made occasionally risky allusions." The "friendly and informal" evening of folk dancing and singing was held in the cellars of the castle and was hosted by Foreign Office Minister and Deputy Leader of the House of Lords, Lord Goronwy-Roberts......................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060613/kyodo/d8i7e35o0.html

 

[Vanesa]

Thank you, Mandy for this useful info. It seems that Michiko and Akihito are a very active Imperial coouple.

Vanesa.

 

[mandyy]

Japan's Aso backs off call for emperor shrine visit
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso backed away on Tuesday from a remark that it would be appropriate for the emperor to visit a Tokyo war shrine, saying he was not calling for a visit at this time, Kyodo news agency reported................
http://www.tiscali.co.uk/news/newswire.php/news/reuters/2006/01/31/world/japan39sasobacksoffcallforemperorshrinevisit.html

 

[mandyy]

Dominican Republic President Fernandez to visit Japan in July
............Fernandez, who is to visit at Japan's invitation, will also meet with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko and House of Representatives Speaker Yohei Kono, exchange opinions with lawmakers and business executives, and give a speech at an investment promotion seminar for the Caribbean island, the ministry said............................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060627/kyodo/d8igaj4o0.html

Visit to Japan by His Excellency Dr. Leonel Fernandez, President of the Dominican Republic
..........During his stay in Japan, President Fernandez will make a State Call on Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress, and will meet with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Mr. Yohei Kono, the Speaker of the House of Representatives.............
http://www.mofa.go.jp/announce/event/2006/6/0627-3.html

 

[mandyy]

Kunaicho website have been updated with some new photos.
#1: June 23, 2006.
#2-3: June 26. 2006.
#2: Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko today in Tokyo presenting The Japan Art Academy award.
#3: Emperor Akihito (2nd from L front) and Empress Michiko (L) look at paintings that won awards from the Japan Art Academy at the academy hall in Tokyo's Ueno district on June 26.
#4-5: June 28, 2006.
#6: June 29, 2006. Emperor and Empress attending an event participated by Imperial Palace police.

 

[mandyy]

The Emperor and Empress today on July 3, 2006.
#1 from Mainichi news
#2: Sankei news
#3-4: Kyodo via Newcom
#3: Empress Michiko waves to the audiences while attending a charity concert in Tokyo on July 3. (Pool photo) (Kyodo)
posted Jul/3/2006
#4: Emperor Akihito (L) and Empress Michiko speak to Kyoto University Professor Shu Narumiya during an award ceremony for Japan Academy Prizes in Tokyo.

 

[mandyy]

This handout photo released 04 July 2006 shows the president of the Dominican Republic Leonel Fernandez, and his wife, Margarita Cedeno, speak with Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko during their audience at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Fernandez is on a four-day visit to Japan as part of his 14-day tour that includes the US, Taiwan and South Korea.

#1-4: Profimedia
#5-6: Reuters
#7: AP
#8: Mainichi news

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito, Afghan president discuss recovery of Afghanistan
................The emperor was quoted as telling Karzai that Afghanistan "may continue to experience hardship but I hope the president will overcome it and Afghanistan's nation-building will advance smoothly."......................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060706/kyodo/d8imctfg0.html

Japanese Emperor Akihito welcomes Afghan President Hamid Karzai upon his arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, 06 July 2006. Karzai is here on a four-day visit to attend the second Tokyo Conference on Consolidation of Peace in Afghanistan.

Below from Getty images


#1-2: Profimedia
#3,7: Polfoto
#4-6: Getty images

 

[mandyy]

This combo photo shows exterior and interior of a new limousine "Century Royal" displayed outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, 07 July 2006. Toyota Motor Corporation delivered 07 July a six-meter-long, two-meter-wide limousine equipped with five-liter engine, for Japanese emperor, empress and state guests at a price of 52.5 million yen (456,500 USD).

#1: JIJI press
#2: NNN news
#3: Asahi news

 

[CrownPrinceLorenzo]

Incredible limo.

 

[mandyy]

Kunaicho have updated their website with some new photos
#1: June 30,2006.
#2: July 3, 06.
#3: July 5, 06.

 

[mandyy]

Royal Toyota: Automaker Delivers $500K Limo for Imperial Family
........................Rumored to produce more than 350 horsepower, the Century Royal's V12 benefits from the latest fuel-efficient, cleaner-emissions technology. It is also said to be considerably lighter than the outgoing Nissan Prince Royal, but still employs state-of-the-art high-tech security measures, bulletproofing and run-flat tires. It also incorporates environmentally friendly materials inside including a shoji screen-like paper ceiling, a polished granite side step for easy entry and large rear windows so the public can catch longer glimpses of the imperial couple........................For those who noticed the number plate, that's right, this car is the only road-going limo in Japan that does not require a number plate. Instead, the extra-special limo is adorned with a gold-plated chrysanthemum badge, which just happens to be the official crest of the imperial family.
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=116077#5

Photo courtesy of Toyota Motor Co

 

[BeatrixFan]

What faith are the Emperor and Empress?

 

[Elspeth]

The Emperor is a Shinto priest. Sort of goes with the job.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Shinto? Oooh. Now, I'm an ignoramus when it comes to Asian religions so is Shintoism anything to do with Buddhism?