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

[mandyy]

Cameroon: Emperor Akihito Grants Audience To Presidential Couple
Warmth and solemnity were perceptible at the Imperial Palace in Japan
Tuesday morning by 11:30a.m. in Tokyo (3:30a.m.in Yaounde) as President Paul Biya and wife Chantal Biya appeared with their entourage to honour the invitation of Emperor Akihito and wife Michiko. Both leaders and their wives immediately moved into the inner court of the Imperial Palace where they held close door discussions for 30 minutes before being joined by the rest of their delegations for breakfast..................By 1:50p.m. in Tokyo (5:40 Yaounde), the Emperor and wife said goodbye to their guests. A long atmosphere of calm, dignity and sense of majestic royalty enveloped the air as scores of officials and security officers present stood in deaf silence watching at the two families gently shake hands and exchange goodwill messages....................
http://allafrica.com/stories/200604190538.html

 

[puresnow]

thank you very much.

 

[Vanesa]

Is Mrs. Biya fom Cameroun? Chantal is a French name, but since in Cameroun you have both, French and English speakers, is not that rare...

Vanesa.

 

[mandyy]

Japan Prize in science given to Japan's Endo, Britain's Houghton
.....................Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attended the 22nd presentation ceremony held at Tokyo's National Theatre.
The Japan Prize was first awarded in 1985 to honor scientists and researchers from all over the world who have made contributions to advance science and technology and to peace and prosperity of mankind, according to the foundation.
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060420/kyodo/d8h3opn82.html

 

[mandyy]

Fitial offer lands to honour Japan Emperor
http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?cat=1&newsID=56880

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito (2nd from R) and Empress Michiko (far left) attend a Japan Prize award ceremony at the National Theater in Tokyo on April 20 where John Houghton, former director of Britain's Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research and Akira Endo, researcher at Biopharm of Japan Corp.,

Kyodo via Newscom

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito has fever, postpones some official duties
Japanese Emperor Akihito has postponed some official duties as he had a 37-degree fever on Tuesday morning, the Imperial Household Agency said...............
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060425/kyodo/d8h6qna00.html

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko attending an event on April 23, 2006.

#1: ANN news
#2: FNN news
#3: NNN news

 

[mandyy]

Shizuka Arakawa, WBC Japan team among spring honors recipients
Turin Olympic figure skating gold medalist Shizuka Arakawa and Japan's World Baseball Classic team are among 776 individuals and nine organizations the Japanese government will honor this spring for their contributions to the nation........................Arakawa, 24, the first female figure skater from Asia to win the Olympic title, and the WBC team are among the 26 recipients of the Medal with Purple Ribbon, given in recognition of their contribution to sports, arts or academia.....................
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060427/kyodo/d8h8iba80.html

Emperor Akihito will later present these spring decorations at the Imperial Palace.

 

[mandyy]

April 28, 2006.
Emperor Akihito today visited Mitaka Kohki Co.,Ltd. in Tokyo.
Mitaka Kohki Co. is the maker of Astronomical telescopes, Space observation devices, Industrial equipments and Medical equipments.

#1: Asahi news

 

[mandyy]

The Emperor and Empress in a helicoptor during their visit to Miyake Island in March of 2006.
From Backyard Builder Annex
http://imageshack.us

 

[mandyy]

April 18, 2006.-Meeting with the Cameroun President and his wife and the luncheon afterwards

Photos from Kunaicho website

 

[mandyy]

Photos from Kunaicho website
Below
#1: April 20, 2006.
#2: April 23, 2006.


#1: April 20, 2006.
#2-4: April 21, 2006.
#3-4: Ceremony of the Presentation of Credentials
A newly appointed foreign ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary presents his/her credentials to His Majesty the Emperor. The Minister for Foreign Affairs or another Minister of State must be present.
A horse-drawn carriage or automobile owned by the Imperial Household may be provided to the Ambassador and his/her party for transportation to and from the Imperial Palace according to the Ambassador's wishes.
#3: Ambassador of Spain
Below is a photo from Backyard Builder Annex of the carriage carrying the Ambassador of Spain

#4: Ambassador of Ethiopia
#5: April 24, 2006.

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko look at an Buddhist image on display at the 'Saicho and Treasures of Tendai' exhibition at the Tokyo National Museum on May 1.
Photo Kyodo via Newcom

 

[mandyy]

Empress Michiko attend a piano concert on May 7, 2006.

#1: Mainichi news
#2: NNN news

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visit a nursery school in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on May 8, 2006. The imperial couple visit facilities for children every year around May 5, Children's Day, a national holiday in Japan.

Below photos
#1: Sankei web
#2: NHK news
#3: JIJI press
#4: FNN news
#5: Nikkei net



#1: Polfoto
#2-7: Reuters
#8-10: Profimedia

 

[mandyy]

Emperor Akihito presented the spring decorations at Imperial Palace on May 9, 2006.

#1: JIJI press
#2: NHK news
#3: Sankei web
#4: Nikkei net
#5: FNN news

 

[mandyy]

Article from HELLO
Japan's Emperor Akihito has always been attentive to his country's future, so it was no surprise to see him taking a keen interest in some of the nation's younger citizens on Monday afternoon..............Empress Michiko, his wife of 47 years, sat at his side as he waved playfully to the youngsters and chatted with those who came over to investigate their VIP guests. One little girl even invited the head-of-state to join in their fun by presenting him with one of her toys.....................
http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty/2006/05/09/emperorakihito/

Photos from AFP via HELLO

 

[mandyy]

In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Empress Michiko feeds mulberry leaves to silkworms with the help of sericulture center chief Yoshisuke Sato at the facility in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Wednesday, May 10, 2006. Michiko symbolically raises silkworms as part of the Japanese tradition and some of the silk produced in the palace is used for a revival of old textile material of historical value kept by the imperial family at Shosoin Repository in Nara, western Japan.

#1-2: Profimedia

 

[mandyy]

Empress Michiko's poems published in France
...........................The poems were translated into French by Tadao Takemoto, a professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba and scholar on the late French novelist Andre Malraux.
The collection will have an initial print run of 1,000. On Wednesday, a ceremony commemorating the publication was held at the official residence of the Japanese ambassador in Paris. Takemoto, the translator who currently lives in the French capital, said at the ceremony, "I was touched by the requiem Empress Michiko read upon visiting a battle site and wanted to convey it to the French people."
http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060511/kyodo/d8hhavco0.html

 

[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

 

[Avalon]

Thanks for the article and picures, Madyy.
I especially love the ones from Hello, so great to see the Emperor and Empress chatting and playing with the kids.

 

[mandyy]

from kunaicho website

Above May 8, 2006.
#1: April 28, 2006.-Emperor Akihito visited Mitaka Kohki Co.,Ltd. in Tokyo.
#2-3: Emperor Akihito presented the spring decorations at Imperial Palace on May 9, 2006. The Emperor then spoke to the recipients and their spouse
#4: May 10, 2006. -Empress Michiko feeds mulberry leaves to silkworms with the help of sericulture center chief Yoshisuke Sato at the facility in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Wednesday, May 10, 2006.

 

[mandyy]

The Emperor and Empress today visited the Koishikawa Botanical Gardens at the Graduate School of Science in University of Tokyo on April 10, 2006.

More photos from Yomiuri news

 

[fanletizia]

Empress Michiko (L) and Emperor Akihito talk with members of the Japanese Turin Olympic team during a reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 12.


from belga

 

[mandyy]

Empress Michiko (L) and Emperor Akihito talk with members of the Japanese Turin Olympic team during a reception at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 12.


from belga

there are photos in the current events thread since other Imperial family members also participated

 

[mandyy]

May 14, 2006.
The Emperor and Empress took a 30 min walk around the outside of the Imperial Palace this morning at around 7am.

Below from TBS news


#1: FNN news
#2: ANN news
#3: Asahi news

 

[mandyy]

May 15, 2006.
In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Empress Michiko binds an oak twig up with a strip of Japanese paper pasted with silkworm eggs during the annual event called "yama tsuke" at the sericulture center in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Monday, May 15, 2006. Michiko symbolically raises silkworms as part of the Japanese tradition and some of the silk produced in the palace is used for a revival of old textile material of historical value kept by the imperial family at Shosoin Repository in Nara, western Japan.

#1: Mainichi news
#2: Polfoto


In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Emperor Akihito plants rice seedlings in a paddy field in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Tuesday, May 16, 2006. Grown rice will be harvested by the emperor to be presented during the annual thanksgiving imperial rites at the palace in November.

#1: Polfoto
#2: JIJI press

 

[fanletizia]

Polfoto 16-05-2006 In this photo released by Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Emperor Akihito plants rice seedlings in a paddy field in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Tuesday, May 16, 2006. Grown rice will be harvested by the emperor to be presented during the annual thanksgiving imperial rites at the palace in November

 

[mandyy]

Dismay over Cup omission
.............On Tuesday, Zico and four top stars were given the first-ever palace sendoff for a soccer team as they were received by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko....................
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19155272-5003412,00.html

The imperial couple (Emperor and Empress) invited to the Imperial palace on May 16, 2006 coach Zico, Saburo Kawabuchi, president of the Japan Football Association, and four players on Japan's squad for the World Cup.

Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko meet with World Cup members
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstPhotos/index.php?photoid=13045
http://home.kyodo.co.jp/modules/fstPhotos/index.php?photoid=13048