Imperial Family of Japan: Current Events July 2005 - May 2008

[stellad]

I think it is rather sad that a family photo was taken without their daughter. It's as if she is no longer a member of the family.

Stellad

[Lantash]

More pics from ANP:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6tft5ag.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/86yon74.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6xzzwqv.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6nqxixh.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6wrssck.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/86in5nl.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6ovgtiv.jpg

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by stellad

I think it is rather sad that a family photo was taken without their daughter. It's as if she is no longer a member of the family.

Stellad

This isn't a family photo as such, it's the official photo of the Imperial Family, there's a difference. Sayako is still a family member, the press release of how the Emperor was spending his birthday ( from the IHA press office) listed that he and the Empress would be having dinner that night with CP Naruhito, CP Masako, Prince Akishino, Princess Kiko and Mr and Mrs Kuroda. ( Sayako and her husband)

Should a family occasion have a photo then Sayako would be in it. The example here is Prince Misaka's family ( he's the Emperor's uncle, brother of Hirohito) Misaka has 3 sons, so Imperial Family members, and 2 daughters who married out. Yet for his and his wife's 50th or 60th can't remember wedding anniversary, all his children ( daughters as well as sons) and their spouses were in the family photo.

[antonieta]

Nice to see Masako, she look's wonderful.

[carlota]

which members of the imperial family were today at the new year greeting?

[puresnow]

Originally Posted by Lantash

More pics from ANP:

http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6tft5ag.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/86yon74.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6xzzwqv.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6nqxixh.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6wrssck.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/86in5nl.jpg
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6ovgtiv.jpg

Thank you so much for the wonderful pictures!

[magnik]

Good to see them again together.

Masako has longer hair and look quite nice and good.
But I have the impression that she is or maybe just looks little absent.
http://i233.photobucket.com/albums/e...07/6xzzwqv.jpg

[mandyy]

Originally Posted by carlota

which members of the imperial family were today at the new year greeting?

The Emperor and Empress, Crown Prince couple, Prince and Princess Akishino, Prince and Princess Hitachi, Prince and Princess Mikasa, and Princess Hisako of Takamado.

[agami.pearl]

thanks for pictures
IMO all members of the imperial family look wonderful and I love a smile of Emperor Akihito

[el-khanz]

I love Masako's long black hair. She looks great. Wish them all the best.

[mandyy]

In this photo released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito stands before Emperor Akihito, seated center with Empress Michiko, and other princes and princesses as his poetry is being recited during the annual palace poetry reading at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2008. Seated princes from left are: Prince Hitachi and Prince Akishino, and three princesses, seated front row from right, are: Princess Hisako, Princess Hanako and Princess Kiko.

Photos from AP via Yahoo
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Theme for the New Year's Poetry Reading, 2008: HI(fire)

[PaulG]

I like the Empress. She seems like such a sweet and gentle lady. How is the Crown Princess these days? She is doing better, I hope.

[mandyy]

Japan's royals likely to skip Olympics: report - Yahoo! News

Japan's Emperor Akihito and other members of the royal family are unlikely to attend the Beijing Olympics amid concerns here about China's crackdown in Tibet and other issues, a report said Wednesday.
The Japanese government thinks it is not a good time for a rare royal visit because of the unrest in Tibet, a recent health scare over Chinese-made "gyoza" dumplings and a spat over disputed gas fields, the Sankei daily said........

[Charlotte1]

Originally Posted by mandyy

Japan's royals likely to skip Olympics: report - Yahoo! News

Japan's Emperor Akihito and other members of the royal family are unlikely to attend the Beijing Olympics amid concerns here about China's crackdown in Tibet and other issues, a report said Wednesday.
The Japanese government thinks it is not a good time for a rare royal visit because of the unrest in Tibet, a recent health scare over Chinese-made "gyoza" dumplings and a spat over disputed gas fields, the Sankei daily said........

While it's true that there are some tensions in the Japan-China relationship, this story is something of a beat up as like Prince Charles, the Japanese royals don't attend the Olympic games. They didn't go to Athens or Sydney, the Emperor and Empress did attend the 1998 Winter Olympic games as they were in Nagano, Japan. So not attending the Beijing Olympics isn't something out of the ordinary.

[Paty]

The Royal Family hats with guests during the annual spring garden party at Akasaka Imperial Park in Tokyo on April 17. Some 1,000 guests, including sumo grand champion Hakuho, were invited for the garden party hosted by the emperor.

BelgaPicture - Category details

[mandyy]

Japanese Emperor Akihito, left, and Empress Michiko toast during a ceremony at a Tokyo hotel Thursday, April 24, 2008, marking the centennial of the beginning of a Japanese emigration to Brazil. In June, 1908 the first group of about 790 Japanese emigrants aboard the Kasato Maru steamer landed Santos in Brazil.
AP photos
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Reuters photo
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AFP photos
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2 (Prince Naruhito also atteneded the event)

Japan, Brazil celebrate 100 years of emigration | The Japan Times Online

[mandyy]

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito, 2nd from right, and Crown Princess Masako, 2nd from left, listen to his brother Prince Akishino, left, as Akishino's wife Princess Kiko, right, looks on at Tokyo University Museum in Tokyo Friday, May 16, 2008. The prince and princess Akishino, extraordinary researchers at the museum, guided Naruhito and Masako to the Biosophia exhibition. The exhibit, a pair of wild fowls seen at left, was presented to Akishino by China's Kunming Animal Institute.

Photo from AP via Yahoo

[kimebear]

The new current events thread can be found here:

http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums...tml#post789135