Japanese well-wishers wave their Rising Sun flags as Emperor Akihito makes an appearance on his 72nd birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo December 23, 2005.
#1: Japan's Emperor Akihito (C) is surrounded by ambassadors during a tea party hosted by the monarch to celebrate his 72nd birthday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo December 23, 2005.
#2: ANP
#3: Kunaicho website
Masako Back In Public Eye For Emperor's Birthday
With a shy but steady wave, Japan's Crown Princess Masako greeted a crowd of some 14,000 well-wishers from the balcony of Tokyo's Imperial Palace on Friday. In one of a handful of appearances this year, she joined her husband, Crown Prince Naruhito to celebate the 72nd birthday of Emperor Akihito............... http://www.hellomagazine.com/royalty...rincessmasako/
Everyone is so cheerful and they looked happy!
I loved looking at CP Masako!!!
Where is Princess Kiko?
__________________ Never let go of anyone that you could not go a day without thinking about. There just might be a very good reason why they're always on your mind. Sometimes, it's the brain that knows too well what the heart tries so hard to deny ~ ~ Anonymous ~ ~
The 2006 New Year photos of the Imperial Family
#1-2: Official photos
#1,10: AP. In this photo released by the Imperial Household Agency, Japan's Emperor Akihito, and Empress Michiko, pose with members of their royal family for a New Year photo at Imperial Palace in Tokyo Friday, Dec. 16, 2005.
#2: Reuters
#3-9: from Kunaicho video
#1: NHK news
#2,5: FNN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo...1&media=wm300k
#3: NNN news video- http://www.bcast.co.jp/cgi-bin/yahoo...0&media=wm300k
(Video showing Princess Masako wearing a tiara leaving Togu Palace with Prince Naruhito to enter the Imperial Palace to give new years greetings to the Emperor and Empress, also in the video is Sayako Kuroda with her husband entering the Imperial Palace)
#4: JIJI press
#5-6: Kunaicho website
#5: Receiving new years greetings from government officials
#6: Receiving new years greetings from foreign diplomats
Princess Masako attends New Year's ceremony for 1st time in 3 yrs
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko received New Year's greetings from other imperial family members and state dignitaries Sunday, with Crown Princess Masako, who is recuperating from a stress-induced illness, taking part in the annual ceremony for the first time in three years............. http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060101/kyodo/d8erm3r89.html
Japan's Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko and the royal family wave to well-wishers during a New Year's appearance at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo January 2, 2006.
Japanese princess more in view
TOKYO, Japan (Reuters) -- Japan's Crown Princess Masako took part in an increasing round of official duties on Monday, a sign she is gradually recovering from a stress-related illness that kept her mostly out of public view for the past two years.......... http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapc...ion=cnn_latest
Emperor offers New Year's greetings to general public
Emperor Akihito offered his annual New Year's greetings to well-wishers who gathered at the Imperial Palace on Monday.
"I am truly pleased to celebrate the New Year with you," the emperor said in a speech through a microphone from the glass-covered balcony of the Chowa-Den wing of the palace. "I wish for the happiness of people in our country and peace in the world.".................... http://asia.news.yahoo.com/060102/kyodo/d8es92ag0.html
Wonderful photos, Mandyy! Great start to the New Year! I have a question, though, did CPMasako not attend the indoor ceremony where we see only Kiko leading in the women or was she somewhere in the room but out of sight?
Wonderful photos, Mandyy! Great start to the New Year! I have a question, though, did CPMasako not attend the indoor ceremony where we see only Kiko leading in the women or was she somewhere in the room but out of sight?
I think Princess Masako privately greeted the Emperor and Empress herself without the cameras in the morning on Jan. 1st.
Thank you, Mandyy. Also, I'd like to know your opinion on the divorce rumors? Do you have any ideas about that? Is it really even a possibility that they could divorce? Sadly enough, at the time of her wedding there was a small thing that caught my eye -- it was an article saying in effect that once Masako married she was in it for life and the only honorouble way out would be suicide. What do you know of that, if anything? I know extremely little about Japanese culture. Masako has interested me because she has an East Coast education similar to my own and so I was surprised to see her give that up, as well as, a serious career, for the Japanese Royal Family -- who seem lovely but live a more isolated existence than I would expect someone like Masako to enjoy. Although I never anticipated her mental health difficulties, with hindsight they are not that surprising -- she has had to make an enormous amount of compromises. So I follow her with great interest and wish fervently for her wellbeing.
I don't think Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako would divorce because seen from the new years video they were talking happily and having a wonderful time with Princess Aiko. And also, Princess Aiko is going to start kindergarten this April, I don't think Princess Masako would want a divorce in such a critical period when Aiko is starting her education. Masako just wanted to spend more time with Aiko and balance her duties with time taking care of her daughter. I think the Imperial Household Agency should allow her to do more official visits abroad and allow her to use her linguistic and diplomatic skills more frequently. This would give Masako chances to apply her own skill in a more useful way just like continuing her former career as a diplomat.
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