Emperor turns 77, hopes for 'elderly-friendly' society
Emperor Akihito, on the occasion of his 77th birthday on Thursday, reflected on the past year and said that as he grows more aware of the symptoms of aging, he hopes that society will become more attuned to the needs of the elderly.
The emperor admitted he has developed hearing difficulties and said, "I can understand what the announcers are saying, but when it comes to listening to other people's conversations on TV, I find myself often relying on subtitles."
The emperor, who climbed Mt. Sekison in Nagano Prefecture with
Prince Akishino's family in the summer, said he was sometimes helped by the prince and his daughter Princess Mako on his way down the mountain, which has never happened before.
The emperor also said he and Empress Michiko are "worried" about
Princess Aiko, the only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, who has been attending a limited number of classes since missing several days of school due to the "rough behavior" in March of boys in her grade.
While their opportunities to see Princess Aiko have been limited, the emperor said whenever the princess visits them she "expresses her love for the empress" by presenting flowers picked from her garden and by showing a video of her cat on her camera.
Concerning
Crown Princess Masako, who continues to receive treatment for a stress-induced illness, the emperor said, "It is my hope that she will strive first and foremost to regain her health." -
Mainichi Daily