Imperial Family of Japan Current Events 2: June 2008 -

[Kasumi]

Oldest 'Iroha' poem written in hiragana found on pottery : Culture : Features : DAILY YOMIURI ONLINE (The Daily Yomiuri)
Ancient earthenware with part of the old Japanese poem "Iroha Uta" written on it found in the town of Meiwa, Mie Prefecture, has been confirmed as the oldest known copy of the poem in hiragana, according to the prefectural Saiku Historical Museum.
The museum made the announcement Tuesday, saying that the dish-shaped earthenware was made in the late 11th or early 12th century.
It was found at the national historic site of Saiku, a palace of the Saio princess who was appointed from among unmarried Imperial princesses to serve at the Ise Grand Shrines.

[Kasumi]

TIH the Princesses Takamado Tsuguko and Noriko visiting 61st Kanto & Tokai Flower EXPO in Tokyo on February 3rd, 2012.

**Pic** - sankei

[Kasumi]

HIH the Princess Akiko of Mikasa attending 2012 JKA (Japan KeirinAssociation ) Award ceremony on February 23rd, 2012.

**Pic** - sankei

[ChiaraC]

There is a series about the imperial family (in French): “The Hell of Japan´s Imperial Family”. There is not anything new to be found there but maybe our French speaking members in particular may still have fun with it.

[Kasumi]

This is 'Current Events' thread, isn't it?
TRF have Royal Library for postings about books.

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by Kasumi

TIH the Princesses Takamado Tsuguko and Noriko visiting 61st Kanto & Tokai Flower EXPO in Tokyo on February 3rd, 2012.
**Pic** - sankei

Very nice to see the Princesses together. Does their sister Princess Ayako perfor official duties or is she considered too young?

[Kasumi]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

...Does their sister Princess Ayako perfor official duties or is she considered too young?

The Princess Ayako has turned 21 last September. She is an adult member of the JIF, thus she does perform the official duties, ex. the Princess does some charity projects with the hadicapped children in Osaka.

[ChiaraC]

Japan has been rocked by a powerful earthquake just days after marking the first anniversary of the devastating tsunami which killed around 19,000 people. The 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck off the north-eastern coast of the country this morning. The strong tremors prompted the Japan Meteorological Agency to issue a tsunami warning for the Pacific coast of Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido. [...]

The quake was not felt in Tokyo, more than 450 miles (730km) away. [...]

Thousands of aftershocks have shaken the region since the catastrophic 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck on March 11, 2011. The powerful quake, the biggest to ever hit Japan, sent a devastating tsunami crashing though the east coast of the country. The destructive wave claimed the lives of around 19,000 people and obliterated everything in its path, wiping out buildings, roads and bridges.

Mirror News

This news is not directly related to the imperial family. But in the light of the recent tsunami anniversary, I hope the mods will forgive me for posting it here.

[ChiaraC]

When the Imperial family moved to Tokyo at the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868, after more than a millennium in Kyoto, many in the ancient capital were convinced the Emperor was just embarking on a long visit and would someday return. Now, more than 140 years later, Kyoto's top political and business leaders are working to have at least some members of the Imperial family take up residence here again.

The reasons have less to do with romantic dreams of the past and more to do with modern concerns ranging from safety from natural disasters to the strengthening of Kyoto's role domestically and abroad as the center of traditional Japanese culture. [...]

Last year, following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, Kyoto and other Kansai government and business leaders expressed concern about what would happen to the Imperial family if a major natural disaster were to strike metropolitan Tokyo. [...]

Naoki Hino, a spokesman for the Kyoto Chamber of Commerce and Industry, noted their presence would increase interest in Japanese traditional culture, and that Imperial family members in Kyoto could expand their role as traditional cultural ambassadors, which would benefit the area's tourism industry.
"Having members of the Imperial family in Kyoto would increase international interest in Kyoto as well," Hino added.

The Japan Times

[Artemisia]

What a lovely idea!
The Imperial couple will probably stay in Tokyo, but the Crown Princely couple or the Akishino family could move to Kyoto. Hope it does come to be true.

[iceflower]

.


Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah has been received by Crown Prince Naruhito at the
airport and by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on March 21, 2012.




** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 ** Pic 5 ** Pic 6 ** gettyimages/reuters/daylife gallery **

[ChiaraC]

The emperor today bid good-bye to the Emir of Kuwait. Together with the empress, he held a twenty-minutes conversation with the emir at the Akasaka Palace. The ruler of Kuwait expressed his gratitude for the invitation and said that he hoped that Japan would recover soon. Emperor Akihito thanked the Sheikh for his good wishes and added that in order to rebuild the country, it would be „important that the Japanese people supported each other.“

Tomorrow, the emperor plans to attend a ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of Princess Mako, at the residence of Prince Akishino. (Spanish source, Google translation, daylife gallery)

I am not sure why they are celebrating Mako´s coming of age ceremony now, as her birthday was already last October. But it has been announced that Mako would become a "full-time royal" only after she would have finished university this spring, maybe that is the reason why they are celebrating?

[mybags]

screenshots from the Kuwait State Banquet:

http://www.yuko2ch.net/mako/makok/src/1332992558138.jpg

[iceflower]

The garden party season has started again!


Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince Akishino, Prince and Princess Hitachi
and others greeted guests at the Akasaka Palace imperial garden in Tokyo today, April 19, 2012.

Empress Michiko looked really lovely!


** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** daylife gallery **

[ChiaraC]

Thanks for the pics!

The following piece of new is unfortunately less agreeable.

16 Becquerels/kg of Radioactive Cesium from Milk for Japan's Imperial Family

That's the headline of the latest issue of Shukan Shincho, a Japanese weekly magazine.

The imperial family has the 252-hectare Imperial Stock Farm managed by the Imperial Household Agency. It is located in Takanezawa-machi in Tochigi Prefecture, and it produces organic vegetables, eggs, meat, and milk for use in the imperial household.

Part of northan Kanto - Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma - has had elevated levels of radiation since the Fukushima I Nuclear Power Plant accident last year. Vegetables, mushrooms, teas, and beef from the area have been found with levels of radioactive cesium exceeding the old provisional safety limit of 500 becquerels/kg. But the Imperial Household Agency has kept sending the produce from the Farm to the Imperial Household with young children as if nothing has happened. [...] Prince Hisahito is very fond of the milk from the Imperial Stock Farm [...]

Many on Twitter are saying "They finally talk about it, now? After more than 1 year?"

Tokyo Progressive

There were reports before about the imperial family holidaying in the radiation area, with the crown princely family being especially close to the centre of the radioactivity.
Of course, they do not want to give the impression that the royals are granted any privileges. But maybe somebody should tell them any time soon that radiation may impact people's ability to have children...

[Artemisia]

Originally Posted by iceflower

The garden party season has started again!
Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko, Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince Akishino, Prince and Princess Hitachi and others greeted guests at the Akasaka Palace imperial garden in Tokyo today, April 19, 2012. ** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** daylife gallery **

Thanks for the pictures! I love those family events; it's always nice to see extended members of the Japanese Imperial Family.

Originally Posted by ChiaraC

16 Becquerels/kg of Radioactive Cesium from Milk for Japan's Imperial Family - Tokyo Progressive

Very disturbing news. Not just that Japanese royals were basically fed radioactive milk, but the fact that the true extent of last year's catastrophe is not publicly revealed. Last year, Japanese people proved how organised and remarkably calm they are in face of calamity; surely, the Government doesn't expect panic attacks and riots now?

[Al_bina]

Thanks for the updates!
It is great that His Imperial Majesty's recovery is in great health and spirits. The Imperial Princesses looked lovely.

[ChiaraC]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

Very disturbing news. Not just that Japanese royals were basically fed radioactive milk, but the fact that the true extent of last year's catastrophe is not publicly revealed. Last year, Japanese people proved how organised and remarkably calm they are in face of calamity; surely, the Government doesn't panic attacks and riots now?

One year ago, the motive for the downplaying of the catastrophe may have been to avoid a panic. Now they are doing the same thing for a different reason. If they´d admit that the Fukushima area is still too dangerous to return to and that things are, in general, as bad as they actually are, they would have to spend a lot of money to make the temporary housing for the evacuees more comfortable or to even find a new permanent place for them to live.

I have no idea if this shocking behaviour of the political elite will at some point lead to riots although this has definitely become more of probability lately as it is nowadays possible to quickly spread “inconvenient” information via the internet. If it should happen, some day, the imperial family may be called upon to play an important part in such a situation as the one institution that has still managed to preserve its integrity.

[ChiaraC]

Crown Prince Naruhito is planning to visit to Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for about a week in late June.
Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko will make an official trip to Uganda in mid-June.
Japan Times

[ChiaraC]

Recent activities of imperial family members

Princess Tsuguko, for example, attended the opening ceremony of The 14th Arab Charity Bazaar. Prince and Princess Hitachi visited an exhibition in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the "Empress Shoken Foundation", founded by a donation of Empress Haruko, the consort of the Meiji emperor, to the International Red Cross. (Empress Haruko is called Empress Shoken posthumously.) What the others royals did? Have a look!