Emperor Akihito & Empress Michiko Current Events Part 2: September 2006- January 2013

[Mirabel]

Originally Posted by NGalitzine

I would actually be surprised if he ever intended to be in London for the Jubilee.

Why would you be surprised?
The Emperor is a Knight of the Garter, right?
PLus, the Olympics will be in London this year.

It seems to me to be very plausible that the Emperor had planned a visit, which now his health may force him to give up.

[ChiaraC]

Why did Japanese TV channels cut Emperor Akihito's address on the one-year anniversary of the Fukushima crisis?

There is a particularly sensitive accusation reverberating through online discussion boards and social media in Japan: that Emperor Akihito's speech on the one year anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami was censored on TV for his comments about the nuclear disaster at Fukushima. [...]

Unlike Prime Minister Noda, who never mentioned the nuclear crisis in his speech on the anniversary, the Emperor addressed it directly.

While this statement may seem more obvious than radical to outsiders, underneath the Imperial-grade Japanese understatement were two ideas that have become quietly explosive. First, he seemed to suggest that the nuclear crisis is not over, a "formidable task" yet to be overcome. This noticeably contradicts the government's official stance that Fukushima has achieved a cold shutdown and, for all practical purposes, the crisis is over. Second, it implies that it is not yet safe for people to return to areas stricken with high levels of radiation, at least not before the "formidable task" is "overcome." This, again, contradicts the government's position that it is now safe for people to return to almost all areas and that neither Tokyo Electric Power Company nor the national government are obliged to assist in long term evacuations. [...]

So many Japanese were shocked when TV media began cutting out the emperor's dramatic statement. Live daytime broadcasts of the event contained the whole speech and newspapers printed it in its entirety. But, by that evening, all of the major news programs aired edited versions of the speech without his nuclear comments, which also went unmentioned and undiscussed on the heavily watches news shows. The vast majority of Japanese, who don't watch TV news during the day, missed the comments entirely.

Blogs and chat-rooms quickly filled with angry accusations that TV networks were censoring an important communication by the Emperor to his people at a time when his guidance is most sought. [...]
"It's so disrespectful for the media to cut the most important part of His Majesty's speech, especially as he delivered it under such physical strain." [...]

By March 20, nine days after the emperor's speech, outraged Japanese held a demonstration in front of NHK, the State sponsored TV network, protesting the apparent censorship.

In fairness, news programs can't please everyone with their edits, and it would be unfair to accuse censorship at every disappointing broadcast decision. Still, it's hard to imagine why the TV networks would neither air nor even mention the emperor's obviously weighty opinion. Many skeptics in Japan suspect that the country's enormous nuclear energy industry, which is famous for its influence over Japan's politics and which has seen its business come to a near-standstill over public fears, may have played a role. After all, Tokyo Electric is one of Japanese TV's largest sources of revenue, and is tightly linked to the Japanese government, which sponsors some media here.

The Atlantic

Thanks to Democratic Underground for mentioning this article!


Emperor and Empress on their way to the Akishino residence to attend a ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of Princess Mako on Saturday

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by ChiaraC

The Atlantic

Thanks to Democratic Underground for mentioning this article!


Emperor and Empress on their way to the Akishino residence to attend a ceremony to celebrate the coming of age of Princess Mako on Saturday

Auch! Talk about of a major screw up!

I thought speeches were more or less cleared beforehand so that no, shall we say, inconsistensies will arise.
This looks so much like an act of panic.
Surely this will backfire on the government, let alone the networks?

[ChiaraC]

They have done it already before, censored the emperor, I mean. And, what is more, nobody has ever apologized for it (at least as far as I know).
The emperor once said that he felt "a certain kinship" to Korea as the mother of one of his predecessors was a Korean princess. Although this is a simple historical fact, Japanese newspapers obviously found it too embarrassing or too dangerous to talk about. The emperor´s speech was front-page news in Korea. But only two Japanese newspapers made short mention of it on their inside pages, the other Japanese media completely ignored it.

Japanese media usually shy away from addressing controversial topics, for further details see also this post of mine. And there is reason to believe that the emperor is well aware of what he is doing.

Concerning Fukushima, I think it´s sort of bad luck for them that the emperor is a man of science. You cannot fool him concerning radioactivity. And he might well be angry that they are trying to fool the nation...

I suppose that the government will try to ignore the protests as long as at all possible.

[Muhler]

Can the media, the government and the establishment, for lack of a better word, get away with that?

The eartquake and the tsunami revealed a number of unfortunate things and as far as I understood, it genuinely shook the common Japanese's trust in the authorities.
A significant number of people must have seen the uncut version of the Emperor's speech and now it has been "edited". Won't the Japanese go: Hey, what's going on?

So far I prefer to believe this has just been a panicky overreaction, but...

For the sake of it, if, repeat if, there is something that has been "trivialised" in connection with the disaster, can you imagine the Emperor going out and say it?
It would of course be an extreme thing to do, but how are they going to silence the Emperor? Cut the sound? That would be just as extreme.

[ChiaraC]

It has been clear for a rather long time that there is mismanagement concerning the Fukushima disaster and that the political elite invests their energy into downplaying the problem and silencing the people instead of taking action to help the victims. The problem is imo that (not unlike in my own country, by the way, although we are getting better) there is not any real tradition of civil protest in Japan. A lot of Japanese know that they are being fooled but they will suffer stoically, if not silently. It is a highly cherished virtue in Japan to bravely endure hardships. Things have to get very bad to really drive people onto the streets.

The emperor, although I do think that he has a clear purpose in what he does (as I said before, I think that even his New Year poem concerning temporary housing had a hidden political meaning) would never go so far as to openly meddle with politics. In the Atlantic article, they comment: “It's impossible to say for sure whether the emperor intended to weigh in on two of the country's most sensitive policy debates.“ While I do not doubt for a minute that this was exactly his intention, that comment is typical insofar as Akihito would always make sure that there is no "hard evidence" against him, so to speak.

A New York Times article that was written in 1990 on occasion of Akihito´s enthronement imo still sums things up very well:

Behind the scenes, however, associates say that unlike his father, Akihito bridles at being overly dictated to. They say he takes an active interest in what he is told to say on diplomatic occasions, demanding explanations or changes to reflect his feelings. ''He doesn't want to give the impression he's a puppet,'' an official says. […]

Japanese rightists want to restore imperial sovereignty over the Government and armed forces. Most of the more than 800 right-wing groups in Japan limit their activities to sending out sound trucks blaring patriotic music and speeches denouncing the left. […] People around the Emperor say he resents being used by this small group of Emperor worshipers, especially the extremists. The rightists, in turn, are said to be less than happy with his stated support for the Japanese Constitution, calling him a ''closet pacifist'' and leftist tainted by Christian influence.
Akihito's opinion about such matters has never been stated explicitly but gleaned from reading between the lines of his statements, and from keeping track of such gestures as the visit to Nagasaki. [Akihito demonstratively visited the Mayor of Nagasaki, Motoshima, who had been shot by a right-wing extremist after he had said that, according to him, Emperor Hirohito bore responsibility for the war.] ''The position of the Emperor is to perform his duties according to the Constitution,'' he once told reporters, ''and I believe I should refrain from making remarks involving arguments relating to the Constitution.''

But there is little doubt among the people who know the Emperor best about where he stands. ''He is very much a member of his generation, a very strong pacifist, a strong liberal and a believer in democracy,'' says Edwin O. Reischauer, the former United States Ambassador to Japan and a longtime acquaintance. As evidence of Akihito's pacifism, for example, an insider at the palace recalled a conversation in which someone described nuclear weapons as a ''necessary evil,'' only to be lectured curtly by the Emperor about the devastation they cause.

So, although the emperor has his ways of making his opinion known, he would under no circumstances openly criticize the government. With him, there would never be a need to cut the sound.

But I think this is an instance that makes it easy to demonstrate the difference between the emperor and his eldest son. The crown prince is a serene, mild-mannered man and has always made a point of keeping out of politics. For example, he has not once made a remark in public that would give a hint concerning his opinion about the succession question (although it is to be supposed that he must have one, considering that it is about his daughter succeeding him or not). But there is this press conference in his past on which he dared to say that his wife had been badly treated by the court, thereby breaking all accepted rules. From his point of view, it was a desperate measure as he was fighting to protect his wife´s life. But since then, nobody can ever be absolutely sure what the prince could be capable of. If he ever openly commented on politics and on such a controversial issue to boot, he would inevitably cause a severe constitutional crisis, and, of course, he knows that. But if, just if, he had to fear that the government would be going to send ten thousands of people into the still contaminated area to die there a slow and cruel death, maybe he would again decide that this is a desperate situation that requires desperate measures. Nobody can be absolutely sure of what he would do.

And that is imo, in a nutshell, the main reason why some people in Japan would be very happy indeed if the crown prince stepped down and let his brother succeed his father.

[Muhler]

Your insight is as always interesting and well founded, ChiaraC

But do people actually take notice, when the Emperor "speaks between the lines"?
And isn't there a difference this time in the sense that the figures for the radiation level around the Fukushima plant are "interesting"? Radiation being something that can really freak out people. Even famously stoic Japanese?

I wonder if the establishment misjudge Crown Prince Naruhito. Remember King Juan Carlos? He was put in place by the Franco regime. An amiable man who wouldn't rock the boat. A man of the system. - Well, he was, but not of the old system.

[ChiaraC]

Emperor Akihito will continue resting for the time being as he recuperates from a heart bypass operation he underwent in February, the Imperial Household Agency said Friday.

The agency has not given a clear timeline for the 78-year-old emperor's resumption of duties, which have been delegated to Crown Prince Naruhito while the emperor recovers at the Imperial Palace.

The Mainichi Daily News

[ChiaraC]

Originally Posted by Muhler

Your insight is as always interesting and well founded, ChiaraC

Thank you very much!

Originally Posted by Muhler

But do people actually take notice, when the Emperor "speaks between the lines"?

It depends, of course, on which people. It seems that many Japanese are not overly interested in the imperial family which probably also means that they usually won´t take much notice of what they say. But the video message of the emperor last year was an exception. As Japan blogger Michael Cucek remarked, “pretty much alone among public institutions, the Imperial Family has performed flawlessly since the disaster of 3/11.“ The emperor´s speeches concerning the disaster got a lot of attention, nationally as well as internationally.

The emperor went on television in an unprecedented address to the people, calling on them to work together to overcome the "difficult times." All the royals, including Masako, have visited the disaster area more than once.

Should Naruhito ascend the throne in the near future, he may oversee recovery from the crisis, said Kodama [Miiko Kodama, a professor at Musashi University in Tokyo]. Support for environmental conservation may also be a priority.

Simply being there in a time of change could also be enough.
"They serve in some intangible but still significant sense as a unifying force," said Ruoff [Kenneth Ruoff, director of the Centre for Japanese Studies at Portland State University and author of a book on Emperor Hirohito]. "So in one sense, when he came on television during the earthquake, that was the quintessential sense of him playing that sort of unifying role."

Reuters

And when it comes to “reading between the lines” I am sure that most Japanese will be much more capable of doing that than Westerners (that is, if they pay attention to the emperor´s words in the first place). It is part of the Japanese culture to express things, especially potentially controversial things, in an indirect manner. Without an explanation, Westerners would hardly understand why it was so sensational that the crown prince would accuse unnamed persons of having “negated his wife´s personality and career”. In contrast, the Japanese journalists who were present at the press conference understood immediately that the prince´s statement would create a scandal.

Originally Posted by Muhler

And isn't there a difference this time in the sense that the figures for the radiation level around the Fukushima plant are "interesting"? Radiation being something that can really freak out people. Even famously stoic Japanese?

I have no idea what it will finally take for the Japanese to resist their political and social elites. But the problem could be in this case that the victims who live in temporary housing are not in a position to pull off an effective political movement. On the other hand, the Japanese who do not come from the disaster area may believe the government´s lies. After all, it is human to ask less questions when it is not really your problem. So they may choose to believe that those who say that the governments figures are wrong are just being “troublemakers” which is a rather common reaction in Japan. You just do not rock the boat there.
However, quite frankly, I think it is very hard to predict what will happen in this case. I am no expert concerning radiation, and I have not really checked in detail the reports about the level of radiation at Fukushima. I do have the impression that if they did send people back, it would become clear in a relatively short space of time that humans cannot live there without lasting and severe damage to their health, and in particular, to that of their offspring. But I may be completely wrong.

Originally Posted by Muhler

I wonder if the establishment misjudge Crown Prince Naruhito. Remember King Juan Carlos? He was put in place by the Franco regime. An amiable man who wouldn't rock the boat. A man of the system. - Well, he was, but not of the old system.

Actually, when I came to be more familiar with the Japan´s monarchy, I have felt strongly reminded of King Juan Carlos, too.

We have the very interesting situation in Japan that the monarchy as an institution is (considering its history as well as its fiercest defenders) undemocratic or even antidemocratic (see for example the story about the severed finger). There is this famous quote by Herbert Bix who wrote Pulitzer-price winning “Hirohito and the making of modern Japan”: “The monarchy is a brake on any hopes of deepening Japanese democracy and making it real. As long as it exists, democracy has quotes around it.” On the other hand, the individuals who occupy the throne/will occupy it in the near future are clearly democrats. In the above mentioned article, the New York Times wrote: “If anything, Akihito's well-known distrust of ultranationalists is seen as a kind of guarantee against their ever trying to overthrow the Government in his name.” (I have once written a blog that deals exactly with that paradox, to be found here.) While Japan´s ultranationalists do not seem at all prone to give up the monarchy as their main symbol, it is clear that, at present, it is them who profit the most from the fact that the emperor is not allowed to meddle with politics (not even to the degree that, for example, the Queen is allowed to do that). All their hopes rest on the emperor keeping his mouth shut...

I have read an interesting article about the granddaughter of Japan’s wartime leader Hideki Tojo, Yuko Tojo. She speaks too openly about the traditionalist ways of thinking as to be an official leader of the ultranationalist forces in Japan, but I think it rather likely that although those leaders would probably be too clever to say that sort of things in public, this may be more or less what they secretly think: Tojo blandy refutes the idea that the tenno is a symbol of Japan (that has been taught in the postwar period) as insulting. According to her, "He is the essence of Japan (kokka genshi). He is nothing at all like a US president. He is Japan." But when asked about the present emperor´s remarks regarding his Korean roots she quite clearly disapproves of his attitude in the matter: "I know nothing about his roots, but I was astonished that he said such a thing. His majesty [meaning Emperor Hirohito] would never have said such a thing. He knew the limits of what to say. The current Crown Prince (Naruhito) chatters away about everything. As the national essence (kokka genshi) he has to know what to say. He has to maintain the dignity [igen] of the Imperial Family."

Personally, I find Tojo´s statements absurd to the point of comedy. Obviously, “the essence of Japan” would be unable to do anything „un-Japanese“. (Otherwise the term does not make any sense whatsoever.) Tojo would have the choice to either call the tenno the “essence of Japan” which would deprive her of any right to criticize his actions - even if she should be unable to fathom their wisdom... OR Tojo could say that the persons who are sitting on and ascending to the chrysanthemum throne are quite simply human beings (whom she would be free to criticize). But then it would obviously not be insulting to call them a mere symbol of Japan. Tojo, in contrast, insists on having her cake and eating it at the same time. The reason for this is, of course, that without the backing of the superhuman aura of the tenno, Tojo could not claim her opinions to be any more than just her opinions that are as important or unimportant as the opinions of everybody else. By styling herself as the dutiful servant of a mystical imperial essence, she can uphold her pretensions on infallibility.

It is just bad luck for her and makes it clearly visible how contradictory her position is that the actual occupier of the chrysanthemum throne does not happen to share her
views...

[ChiaraC]

The Emperor, who underwent heart bypass surgery in mid-February, will get more time to rest due to a buildup of fluid in his chest, the Imperial Household Agency said.

It is happening again, just like you predicted, Muhler.

The Emperor, along with the Empress, will rest at the Imperial villa in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, early this month.

The agency will decide when the Emperor can resume his official duties based on the results of a medical exam following his return to Tokyo.

Yomiuri

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by ChiaraC

It is happening again, just like you predicted, Muhler.

Yomiuri

Alas.
But you need not be a prophet to foresee that.

He will most likely have to have removed more fluid later.
At some point he will develope pneumonia, which eventually will need hospital treatment. Because it will be rucurring and he will need more and more medication. - That's very common for older people, once their system is down.
That's why it is so important that the Emperor rest as much as possible.

And thanks again, Chiara for answering my questions so well.

Well, no matter what political correctness in Japan says, from a foreigners point of view, the Emperor very much define Japan as a nation.
I'd say if the average foreigner were to mention five things that would define Japan and the Japanese people and their national character. I believe the Emperor would end up on that list.
So the nationalists are actually right. - It's just so annoying (for them) that the Emperor doesn't conform to the proper image of an emperor. - I.e. be quiet, be seen, let himself be worshipped and otherwise stay out of the way.

[ChiaraC]

Originally Posted by Muhler

He will most likely have to have removed more fluid later.
At some point he will develope pneumonia, which eventually will need hospital treatment. Because it will be rucurring and he will need more and more medication. - That's very common for older people, once their system is down.

According to what you say, the prospects seem to be really bad. Honestly, what do you think are the emperor´s chances to survive this illness? Realistically, I mean, not counting in the possibility of a miracle?

Originally Posted by Muhler

And thanks again, Chiara for answering my questions so well.

It is a great pleasure.

Originally Posted by Muhler

Well, no matter what political correctness in Japan says, from a foreigners point of view, the Emperor very much define Japan as a nation.
I'd say if the average foreigner were to mention five things that would define Japan and the Japanese people and their national character. I believe the Emperor would end up on that list.

I am sure you are right. And that is why it is very good for Japan that the emperor is like he is. If he were as Japanese ultranationalists want to have him, he would give Japan a VERY bad reputation internationally.

[Muhler]

Originally Posted by ChiaraC

According to what you say, the prospects seem to be really bad. Honestly, what do you think are the emperor´s chances to survive this illness? Realistically, I mean, not counting in the possibility of a miracle?

I'm not a doctor and I haven't examined him, so there is a very wide margin for error here.

Based on mine and Mrs. Muhler's experience in particular with elderly in similar situations, he will eventually die from pneumonia.
Alternatively the cancer could flare up again, but it would probably take a while before that happened and in my eyes pneumonia is more likely.
How long? There are so many factors at play that any prediction would be nothing but a guess. And guessing about when someone will die is very poor taste, so I shall refrain from doing that.
But once the reports say that he been committed to a hospital due to pneumonia, then the countdown has started in earnest to put it bluntly.

[ChiaraC]

I am aware that there is always a margin of error. When my grandmother suffered a stroke, my uncle (who is a doctor) was with her, and he thought that she would not survive the day, as he told us afterwards. As it turned out, she lived two and a half years more.

But from what you say, it is at least clear that the situation with the emperor is very serious. I always prefer the truth, even if it is not agreeable. Thank you!
The empress will suffer the most whenever it will happen...

[ChiaraC]

Jadwiga Rodowicz-Czechowska, Poland's ambassador to Japan, says she was utterly heartbroken when she witnessed the catastrophe caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit Tohoku last March. [...] Rodowicz-Czechowska — who has spent more than three decades studying Japanese culture — holds a doctorate in the classical noh form of Japanese drama. [...] In addition to supporting the initiatives taken by the Polish government to help Japan, including collecting donations and partially rebuilding a destroyed kindergarten in Kesennuma, Miyagi Prefecture, Rodowicz-Czechowska personally wrote a new noh play in Polish — "Chinkon" — as a homage to both the victims of the March 11 disaster and those killed at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland during World War II. The title means "repose of souls" in Japanese. [...]

In writing "Chinkon," Rodowicz-Czechowska asked for permission from the Imperial Household Agency to embed in the play poems written by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko — which she thought would "soften the cruelty of the experience we are relating to" and which was perfectly in harmony with the tradition of noh to have quotations from famous Japanese or Chinese poems.

The ambassador was invited to the Utakai Hajime, the annual New Year's poetry reading held at the Imperial Palace in January, and was touched by the poems read by the imperial couple to encourage those who had lost loved ones in the disasters.

"It moves me very much that this loving and peaceful being is always bringing in such important feelings of care for the nation," she said of the Emperor.

Japan Times

[ChiaraC]

Emperor Akihito arrived Thursday at a retreat in Hayama, south of Tokyo, along with Empress Michiko to rest until Monday as part of the 78-year-old emperor's recuperation from heart bypass surgery in February, the Imperial Household Agency said. Before leaving for Hayama, the couple attended a concert at Suntory Hall in Tokyo's Akasaka district. [...]
After his stay at Hayama, the emperor is expected to undergo health checks to determine whether he can resume his official duties, which have been delegated to Crown Prince Naruhito, it said.

House of Japan

Doctors have urged the emperor to refrain from any official duties at least until May. He made a brief appearance at a March 11 memorial service for victims of last year’s tsunami, and was visited by the Kuwaiti emir last month, but otherwise, has not attended any functions. [...]

The emperor and empress will remain at Hayama until Monday. On the weekend, they will be visited by their second son Prince Akishino, his wife Princess Kiko and their youngest child, Prince Hisahito.

The emperor and empress hope to visit Britain in the summer for Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee.

Japan Today

The same procedure as last time: On one hand it is said, "Doctors have urged the emperor to refrain from any official duties at least until May." On the other hand, the emperor plans to undergo health checks next week "to determine whether he can resume his official duties." Next week is mid-April, not May. Obviously, the doctors´ urge is of little
avail...

[Artemisia]

British Prime Minister David Cameron is on a four day visit to East and South East Asia, travelling with a forty strong delegation of business representatives, seeking to boost trade opportunities with the United Kingdom.
On April 10, the Prime Minister had a meeting with Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace, as well as with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

- The Emperor and David Cameron
- The Emperor greeting the Prime Minister
- David Cameron with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda

Gallery from Daylife
Gallery from Getty

[ChiaraC]

Thanks for the pictures, Artemisia!
Here is an article about the visit.

The Japanese government was considering a plan for the 78-year-old emperor and Empress Michiko to visit Britain in May to attend a ceremony in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II‘s accession to the throne, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said.

During the meeting at the Imperial Palace, Cameron conveyed a message from the queen that she would be pleased to meet the couple.

The emperor expressed gratitude to Cameron for Britain‘s support in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami, which struck north-eastern Japan, the Kyodo News agency said.

The Japanese government is considering a plan for Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to visit Britain next month, Chief Cabinet Secretary Osamu Fujimura said Tuesday.

The revelation came after the Cabinet approved also Tuesday the emperor's resumption of official duties after health checks showed that he is steadily recuperating after his heart bypass surgery in February.


The Imperial Household Agency is looking into the possibility of the emperor and empress traveling to Britain to attend a ceremony on May 18 in celebration of the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne, Fujimura told a news conference.

Mainichi

Emperor Akihito is expected to resume his official duties as early as Tuesday [...]

Health checks Monday showed that the Emperor, 78, is recuperating steadily, and the request to resume his duties will be approved by the Cabinet on Tuesday, they said. The Emperor delegated his duties to the Crown Prince on Feb. 17, the day before his surgery.

Japan Times

I am not convinced. The doctors have urged the emperor to refrain from any official duties at least until May. I would suppose that they know what they are talking about.

[Artemisia]

Thanks for the articles, ChiaraC!
I wish the Emperor listened to his doctors and scaled down his activities. He didn't really need to make an appearance today; Crown Prince Naruhito could have greeted the British Prime Minister instead.

[ChiaraC]

Originally Posted by Artemisia

Thanks for the articles, ChiaraC!
I wish the Emperor listened to his doctors and scaled down his activities. He didn't really need to make an appearance today; Crown Prince Naruhito could have greeted the British Prime Minister instead.

You know that I agree, Artemisia. It is said in this Yomiuri article:

A medical check on Monday found that fluid remains in [the emperor´s] chest but has not increased since late March, according to Ichiro Kanazawa, chief medical officer at the Imperial Household Agency.

While it is certainly positive that the fluid has not increased lately, from what Muhler said I would still conclude that it is not a good state of things to have fluid in your lungs at all. However, it is like it is and we can just hope for the best.

Today, Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa was welcomed by Emperor Akihito at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The emperor hosted a luncheon for the king.
Articles Bahrain News Agency: 1, 2
Photos:
1
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3
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