Imperial Family of Japan Current Events 2: June 2008 - April 2017


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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.
 
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?
 
...Does their sister Princess Ayako perfor official duties or is she considered too young?
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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.
 
Japan hit by powerful earthquake just days after 1st anniversary of tsunami disaster

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.
 
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Kyoto aiming to get some royals to return

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
 
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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. :)
 
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?
 
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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 **
 
Thanks for the pics! :)

The following piece of new is unfortunately less agreeable. :ermm:

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...
 
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. :)

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

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
 
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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! ;)
 
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It's absolutely delightful to see the Imperial Family together like this, relaxed and happy. :)
Masako looked wonderful, as did Kiko and the Empress. I especially love this picture; looks like someone just cracked a joke!
 
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I generally love the way Naruhito looks on these pics. (Also very obvious here, here and here.) Of course, on official occasions he will always put on his professional crown-prince smile. But I have the feeling that he is quite unreasonably happy whenever his wife is at his side. Honestly, he gives me the impression of being so content as to readily smile at a fire-spitting dragon or at an evil-looking poisonous toad if they happened to come in his way... ;)
 
Thanks for the photos!
It is truly enjoyable to see Japanese royals seeing off their parents. Both Crown Princess Masako and Princess Kiko looked lovely.
 
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But I have the feeling that he is quite unreasonably happy whenever his wife is at his side. Honestly, he gives me the impression of being so content as to readily smile at a fire-spitting dragon or at an evil-looking poisonous toad if they happened to come in his way... ;)
I haven't thought of it, but you are right; the Prince always glows when his beautiful wife is next to him.
Life as a crown princess has most definitely not been easy for Masako, but at least she never had to doubt her husband's love and devotion.
 
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I agree. :flowers: And considering the way she sometimes looks at her husband, I suppose that she knows that very well and appreciates it very much. :in_love:
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Chief aid to emperor Haketa to be succeeded by Kazaoka
The chief of the Imperial Household Agency Shingo Haketa will be replaced by Noriyuki Kazaoka, the current deputy head, on June 1 following Cabinet approval, government sources said Monday. Kazaoka, 65, will be promoted to the position of Grand Steward, responsible for the personal, ceremonial and official affairs of the emperor and his family, while Haketa, 70, will retire.

Ichiro Kanazawa, 70, medical supervisor of the Imperial Household, who led the emperor's heart bypass surgery in February, will also be replaced by Hirokazu Nagawa, 60, former vice director of the University of Tokyo Hospital.

Kazaoka has been the vice-grand steward since 2005, after serving as vice transport minister. Haketa, former vice health and welfare minister, has been the head of the agency since April 2005 after serving as the deputy head for four years. Kanazawa, former director of the University of Tokyo Hospital, assumed the current position in 2002 and presided over the emperor's surgery for prostate cancer in 2003.
May 21, 2012 (Mainichi Japan)
 
Haneda Airport: Imperial family members waiting for the arrival of the emperor and empress from London
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So nice to see the family again. :)
I almost wish the Imperial couple would make more trips abroad, just so that we could get more pictures of the whole family in a relatively relaxed atmosphere.
 
Princess Akiko leaves for Germany on research and presentation trip
Princess Akiko, the eldest daughter of Prince Tomohito of Mikasa, a cousin of Emperor Akihito, left Wednesday for Germany, where she will conduct research before giving a presentation in Poland on Japanese art, the Imperial Household Agency said.

During her trip through June 8, the 30-year-old princess will conduct research at Dresden State Art Collections before attending an international symposium in Poland, where she will present research papers on the history of the British Museum's collection of Japanese antiquities.
May 30, 2012(Mainichi Japan)
 
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