Emperor Akihito & Empress Michiko Current Events Part 3: February 2013 - April 2017


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Thanks for the update!

It is great that Emperor Akihito granted an audience to the President of Ukraine. On a different note, Mrs Poroshenko looked wonderful.
 
You're welcome!

Today, April 12, Emperor Akihito visited the Musashino Imperial Mausoleum in Tokyo to offer prayers to his late father Emperor Hirohito.



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **
 
:previous: Empress Michiko also attended the visit to the Mausoleums of Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun. The couple visited Tamagawa Aqueduct later.

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/04/12/mausoleums-of-late-majesties/

On April 15th, the Emperor and Empress sent condolences to the governor of Kumamoto Prefecture which suffered an large earthquake the day before. A scheduled visit to Shizuoka Prefecture was canceled.

Source: Sankei's Imperial Weekly for 4/16http://www.sankei.com/premium/news/160416/prm1604160027-n1.html
 
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Thank you for the additional information, Prisma!


Today, April 19, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko met with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela and his wife at the Imperial Palace:



** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 **
 
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i find it fascinating that the current empress continues the tradition of the silkworms like many other empresses before her...

i understand that at times she gifts these to foreign dignitaries visiting japan - has she given any to foreign royalty?
 
I suppose there are some things that only the Emperor can do, for example in terms of the Shinto religion and other official things. However, it's good that the Crown Prince couple will be able to take more on to give them experience for the future. I only hope that CP Masako will continue to improve and will be able to take on more duties as time goes on.:flowers:
 
Mainichi reports 8 types of meetings/audiences were reduced for the Emperor and Empress. The Crown Prince and Princess will take over another 4 types of meetings.

The Emperor and Empress are scheduled to visit earthquake-hit Kumamoto Prefecture on May 19th.
Source: Mainichi

On May 10th, the Emperor conferred orders/medals at the Imperial Palace.
Source: Sankei

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON6iif9Tubs
 
On 12th May, HM Emperor Akihito and HM Empress Michiko attended the ceremony to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of International Karuizawa Tennis Tournament took place in Tokyo.
Click to expand...

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/05/12/internatioal-karuizawa-tennis-tournament/

On 13th May, HM Emperor Akihito met with HH Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Prime Minister of the State of Kuwait at Imperial Residence.
Click to expand...

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/05/13/prime-minister-of-kuwait/

Also on May 13th, the Emperor and Empress attended a performance by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra which is on its 21st tour in Japan.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1wpaaqNrv4
 
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On May 17th, Empress Michiko attended a Beethoven concert at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall where pianist Martha Argerich played.

Source and a photo: Sankei

On 18th May, HM Emperor Akihito and HM Empress Michiko met with HE Mr John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana and the First Lady at Imperial Residence.
Click to expand...

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/05/18/president-of-ghana/

Later, the Emperor and Empress departed for Kumamoto Prefecture from Haneda airport. Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGby7TXPXog

Arrival at Kumamoto Prefecture:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNFUwV7y0Jg

Meeting earthquake victims at an elementary school-turned-shelter on May 19th:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f9mv7BNzgxc

Another video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKvOqw-ECJw
 
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You're very welcome! :)
Sometimes the google translations are somewhat challenging. Hehe. :lol:
 
On 24th May, HM Empress Michiko fed mulberry leaves to silkworms at the cocoonery inside Imperial Palace.
Empress raises silkworms in order to obtain raw silk as the tradition.
Click to expand...

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/imperial-sericulture-6/

On 24th May, HM Emperor Akihito and HM Empress Michiko met with The Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada and his wife at Imperial Residence.
Click to expand...

https://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2016/05/24/prime-minister-of-canada/

On May 25th, Emperor Akihito planted 100 rice seedlings at the Imperial Palace. ANN News video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7_AH5ddRgY
 
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On May 27th, Empress Michiko visited Nemunoki Children's School Art Exhibition held at Tokyo Ginza Gallery Museum. The Nemunoki school was established in 1968 as the first nursing home for disabled children. Actress/director Mariko Miyagi is the president and guided Empress Michiko through the exhibit.

Sankei Pic 1, 2, 3
 
How very interesting! Big fat caterpillars, they would need a delicate touch to transfer them to their new abode. Her Majesty does so very competently.
 
Thanks for all your posts, Prisma! And finally a member who seems to be very interested in the Imperial Family. We used to have the member ChiaraC who was very interested, but she doesn't post here anymore.
 
:previous: You're very welcome! :flowers:

On May 31st, the Emperor and Empress visited the "Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum" at Koganei Park in Tokyo. It was a nostalgic visit for the Emperor. He spent three and a half years at a temporary building in the park because an air raid destroyed the Crown Prince residence in WWII. A monument now marks the building's position.

Sources: Asahi and Sankei

Getty Images 1 2 3 4

ANN News video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTxhCYoqj0k
 
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On June 4th, the Emperor and Empress traveled to Nagano Prefecture for the 67th National Tree Planting Festival (which is June 5th, I think…)
Their program also includes:
  • Tatsuyuki Memorial Takano in Nakano City on June 4
  • University International Science and Innovation Center in Nagano on June 5
  • Afan Forest in Shinano on June 6
Photos at: Mainichi, Asahi

ANN news video of Tatsuyuki Memorial Takano:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z43zkW8l9TE
 
On June 5th, the Emperor and Empress attended the 67th National Tree Planting ceremony in Nagano.
Photos at Asahi and another video at NHK

They also met with 5 earthquake victims from Sakaemura, a village hit by the 2011 earthquake. The group spoke for about 30 minutes and the village head reported the village’s restoration is almost complete.
Photos at Asahi

ANN News video of the tree planting and meeting with earthquake victims.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWADcquxDSo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnRD8gL4CaU
 
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On June 8th, the Emperor and Empress visited the Afghanistan exhibit at the Tokyo National Museum.

Photos at Sankei

Side note: I saw the exhibit when I was in Japan in April and while it is excellent, I do wonder why the IHA keeps sending royals to this particular exhibit. Princesses Nobuko, Hisako, and Akiko already visited the exhibit.

Asahi reported Empress Michiko used sign language during the Kumamoto visit last month. The article also mentions a memorable scene in 1995, when Empress Michiko signed "Good luck" to victims of the Great Hanshin Earthquake towards the end of that visit.
 
Thanks for the updates, Prisma!

In an article recently about the Emperor's visit to his old school, the translation mentioned that the visit had been made at his own request. From that, I get the feeling that many of these exhibition visits, concert trips etc are at the Emperor's and Empress's own request, rather than it being the IHA seemingly sending them.
 
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