Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako Current Events Part 1: May 2019 -

[Tatiana Maria]

On February 12th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the virtual meeting of former members of the United Nations Secretary-General's Advisory Board on Water and Sanitation (UNSGAB). As crown prince, Emperor Naruhito was honorary president from 2007 to 2015 while King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was chairman from 2006 to 2013.

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Imperial couple join online water conference | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

:
[...]

The Emperor delivered a speech in English. Imperial household officials say he called for global solidarity to resolve water-related issues.

Participants from more than 10 countries listened to lectures and held discussions on water hygiene and the outlook for securing a safe, clean supply around the world.

The Emperor is known for his studies on water. Officials say he eagerly took notes during the conference, which lasted more than two hours.

Good to hear that even as emperor he will remain active with a cause close to his heart.

 

[Prisma]

Imperial couple to attend downsized 3/11 memorial | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are scheduled to attend a downsized memorial ceremony for victims of a disaster that struck the country's northeastern and eastern regions on March 11, 2011.

[...]

Last year, the event was canceled due to the spread of the coronavirus, and a flower offering ceremony was held at the Prime Minister's Office instead.

Until 2019, about 1,500 people have been invited to the event annually, but the number this year has been reduced to 220.

[...]

The heads of both chambers of the Diet, all Cabinet members, and representatives of victims from Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures will be among the attendees.

Members of the public will not be offering flowers. [...]

 

[Prisma]

On March 4th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako had an online visit to Iwate Prefecture ahead of the 10th anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. They met Iwate Governor Tasso Takuya and survivors from Rikuzentakata and Kamaishi cities.

Photos: Asahi
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Emperor, Empress visit Iwate online ahead of 3/11 | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

One of them, a 57-year-old woman, lost her 25-year-old son in the tsunami. She later published a picture book to pass down memories and lessons of the disaster to younger generations.

The Emperor told her it is very regrettable that she lost her son. The Empress said it must have been painful as a mother. She commended the woman for taking action despite her grief, for the sake of other people and coming generations.

The couple also talked with a 53-year-old man whose home was destroyed in the tsunami. He has rebuilt his life after living as an evacuee with his wife and two children.

The Emperor offered words of sympathy over the man's hardship, and asked if it affected his children psychologically.

The couple later talked with people in the city of Kamaishi.

A 25-year-old woman who was a junior high school student at the time of the disaster now works at a facility for teaching future generations about the tsunami and studying how to prepare for disasters.

[...]

Officials say the Emperor told the people that he prays for further development of the area.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

On March 11th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 10th anniversary memorial ceremony for the 2011 earthquake-tsunami-nuclear disaster at the National Theatre in Tokyo.

AP Images, Getty Images, Asahi, Mainichi

Emperor Naruhito's address at the Great East Japan Earthquake 10th anniv. memorial service - The Mainichi

Ten years have passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake. Together with you all present here, I should like to express my deepest condolences to those who lost their lives in the disaster and their bereaved families.

Ten years ago today, the immense earthquake and the accompanying tsunami hit eastern Japan, leaving more than 20,000 people dead or missing. In addition, tsunami accompanying the earthquake and the nuclear power plant accident caused by the earthquake has forced great numbers of people to leave the places where they used to live. The magnitude of the damage brought about by the disaster is so profound that the unforgettable memory of the tragedy still persists in my mind.

[...]

Memorial ceremony mourns 3/11 victims | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...] This is the first time Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the annual ceremony. The couple has visited the affected areas since the disaster and offered words of encouragement to survivors before Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in 2019.

At the ceremony, the Emperor said that while he feels reconstruction has been progressing, various problems still remain. He said his heart aches when he turns his thoughts to those who have struggled.

Emperor Naruhito said, "It is a matter of great importance, I believe, that we all keep ourselves united, and everlastingly maintain the will to stand by the afflicted people so that the progress of the reconstruction will steadily bear fruit from now onwards in order to help all of them regain their peaceful daily lives in less than no time without leaving even a single soul behind in this difficult situation. I, together with the Empress, would like to continue to listen to the voices of those in the afflicted regions and stay close to them." [...]

 

[Prisma]

On March 17th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made an online visit to Miyagi Prefecture. They were briefed on the reconstruction progress from Governor Murai Yoshihiro and met survivors in Kesennuma City and Yamamoto Town.

Asahi gallery

Imperial couple pays virtual visit to Miyagi | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have made an online visit to Miyagi Prefecture, one of the three northeastern prefectures hit hardest by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.

[...]

After being briefed by Governor Murai Yoshihiro on reconstruction efforts, the couple spoke with survivors in Kesennuma City.

The emperor offered words of condolence to a 71-year-old woman who lost her husband and parents-in-law in the tsunami, but later had her totally destroyed home and liquor shop rebuilt.

The emperor told her she must have gone through great hardship to reopen her shop.

The empress commended the woman for her efforts over the past decade.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

Sankei gallery and English video

 

[Prisma]

Renovations on the Imperial Residence, originally expected to be completed by end of March, will be delayed by 1-2 months due to problems found in the air conditioning, drainage pipes, and outdoor lighting for fire prevention.

The Emperor's family is now expected to move in June.

Sources: Mainichi, TBS/JNN

 

[Somebody]

Sankei gallery and English video

It would help if they put their aids in a different room, so they wouldn't need to wear facemasks...

 

[Prisma]

On April 13th, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko visited the Imperial Palace before 4pm to inspect the Imperial residence. Renovations were expected to be completed by March but problems were found and need another 2 months to resolve.

AP Images

 

[Prisma]

On April 23rd, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the 15th MIDORI Academic Prize with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the Parliamentary Museum in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

This is the first time Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended this ceremony as it was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.

Photos: Asahi, kantei.go.jp, AP Images

Imperial couple attend environmental awards event | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

The annual MIDORI Academic Prize is awarded by the prime minister to individuals who have outstanding academic achievements in the fields of botany and environmental conservation to their credit.

This year's winners were Takeuchi Kazuhiko, Project Professor at the University of Tokyo, and Tabata Satoshi, director of the Kazusa DNA Research Institute.

Takeuchi was recognized for research aimed at fostering harmony between humans and nature, and his contribution to environmental conservation and enhancement.

Tabata was credited for his pioneering work in the field of plant-genome science and for promoting sustainable agricultural-production technology.

Other individuals and groups were given awards for activities boosting the natural environment in their communities.

During the ceremony, the Emperor noted that the pandemic had brought changes to people's lives and society at large. He said it is important to think about ways to protect and nurture the natural environment in light of its fundamental importance to human life and society.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

Emperor Naruhito will remotely attend the National Tree Planting Festival in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture on May 30. Empress Masako will be present depending on physical condition. The event was postponed from last year due to the pandemic and will be scaled-down such as reducing number of guests from 4,000 to 1,000. The emperor will give a speech and plant saplings from Shimane into pots.

Source: Sankei, Jiji

 

[Prisma]

On April 28th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made an online visit to Fukushima Prefecture. They were briefed on the reconstruction progress from Governor Masao Uchibori and met survivors of Futaba Town and Okuma Town.

Sankei Imperial Weekly 690 reports the online visit was about 2 hours.

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Emperor, Empress Talk Online with March 2011 Disaster Sufferers | Nippon.com

[...]

They started chatting with six residents of the towns of Futaba and Okuma after making a virtual visit to the tsunami and nuclear disaster memorial museum in Futaba, where all residents have been evacuated.

One of the people was Takayuki Yatsuda, 66, who ran a company that took part in post-disaster work at Fukushima No. 2 nuclear plant, which was also hit by tsunami but survived the crisis without an explosion or a meltdown.

 

[Prisma]

On May 12th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made online visits to elementary and junior high schools in Takamori Town, Kumamoto and Takeshima, Mishima Village, Kagoshima. The visits are related to Children's Day (May 5).

21 6th graders at Takamori Chuo Elementary School in Kumamoto Prefecture attended the online meeting.

In Kagoshima Prefecture, the Imperial couple spoke with students of Mishima Takeshima Gakuen, an elementary and junior high school. Takeshima is one of the Ōsumi islands under the administration of Mishima Village and had 78 residents as of 2010.

Photos: Asahi, Asahi 2, Sankei, Sankei Imperial Weekly 692, Jiji

 

[Happiness Always]

I guess we can't hear the conversation that Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako (not even a little snippet) had with the students because of privacy issues. Glad the girl recalled a bit of what was asked and her response.

 

[Prisma]

On May 30th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako remotely attended the 71st National Tree Planting Festival from Akasaka Imperial residence in Tokyo. About 950 people attended the ceremony in Oda City, Shimane Prefecture. The Imperial couple planted saplings and Emperor Naruhito sawed a tree Emperor Showa planted in 1971 in Oda.

Emperor Naruhito's speech

Photos: Asahi, Asahi 2, Mainichi, AP Images

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Imperial couple attends tree-planting ceremony virtually - Kyodo News

[...]

The couple took part in the event, which was postponed by one year, from the Akasaka Imperial Residence in Tokyo, observing the ceremony through a large screen.

"I hope that the 'green cycle' of planting, growing, using, and planting again will be widely practiced," Emperor Naruhito said via livestream.

The imperial couple then each planted two types of seeds chosen from Shimane Prefecture, including a cedar tree and a mountain cherry tree, in boxes. They will be sent back to the prefecture at a later date for replanting.

[...]

Emperor gives online speech at tree-planting event | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

Speaking via video link, the Emperor said forests have provided people with lumber, water and other resources, as well as soil to nurture a comfortable environment and culture.

He said forests also play an important role in the conservation of the Earth's environment by helping to prevent climate change.

The Emperor expressed hope that the sustainable green eco-system, which involves humans and forests, will be conveyed from Shimane to the entire country, and to the future.

The Emperor and Empress planted cedar, rhododendron and other saplings in large wooden planters. The saplings will be sent to Oda to be grown there.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will remotely attend the "National Cultural Festival" and "National Disability Arts and Culture Festival" in Miyazaki Prefecture on July 3.
Empress Masako's attendance depends on her physical condition.

Source: Sankei

 

[iceflower]

Today, June 21, Emperor Naruhito accompanied by Empress Masako addressed the 111th Japan Academy Prize ceremony in Tokyo:


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[Prisma]

videos of the 110th and 111th Japan Academy Prize ceremony which honored 20 winners of 2020 and 2021. Four winners presented their research to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako after the ceremony.

 

[Prisma]

Emperor Naruhito's family will move to the Imperial residence in September.

Imperial family to move to Palace in September | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

Sources have told NHK that notice on bidding for the moving work for the Emperor and his family was given in the government's gazette on Wednesday. The refurbishment work will be completed at the end of this month.

The sources say a contractor will be chosen as early as mid-August, and the moving work will start after the Tokyo Paralympic Games end on September 5.

It will be carried out while the Imperial family are staying at a villa outside Tokyo, and will take about 10 days.

[...]

Renovation work will start on the current residence of the Emperor and his family on Akasaka Estate after they leave, with more barrier-free structures such as elevators to be installed. The Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita will move in after the work is completed in four or five months.

[...]

Japan Emperor's Family to Move to Imperial Palace in Sept. | Nippon.com

 

[iceflower]

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the ceremony for the 76th and 77th Imperial Prize of the Japan Academy in Tokyo today, June 28:


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[Prisma]

There were 11 total winners for the combined ceremony. Afterward, 4 winners presented their work to Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. The customary tea ceremony at the Imperial Palace was canceled. [Jiji, Sankei]

 

[Prisma]

On July 1st, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako donated to the Japanese national team for the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, hoping for their success. According to the Imperial Household Agency, Their Majesties donate to the national team whenever the Olympics and Paralympics are held.

Source: Sankei

 

[Prisma]

On July 3rd, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako remotely attended the opening ceremony of the 35th National Cultural Festival and 20th National Disability Arts & Culture Festival in Miyazaki Prefecture. Their Majesties also spoke to performers after the ceremony.

The 2020 culture festivals were postponed and will run July 3 - October 17, 2021. Wakayama Prefecture hosts the 2021 culture festivals which will run October 30 - November 21.

Photos: Asahi, Asahi2

 

[Prisma]

On July 5th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako sent condolences to the victims of the landslide in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture. The message was conveyed through their Grand Chamberlain Koro Bessho to Governor Heita Kawakatsu.

Source: Sankei

Rescue efforts continue after fatal mudslide rips central Japan city - Kyodo News

Rescue workers continued their search for survivors on Monday, two days after a large mudslide in a hot spring resort town southwest of Tokyo killed at least four people and destroyed no fewer than 130 houses.

Firefighters, police and Self-Defense Forces personnel continued to remove debris and search mud-swamped houses in Atami, Shizuoka Prefecture, as the first 72 hours after the incident, considered a crucial period for finding survivors, neared.

On Monday, the rescue team found three people who had been missing, one of whom was confirmed dead, the city government said. The remaining two were reportedly not in a life-threatening condition.

[...]

In Tokyo, the Imperial Household Agency said Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are deeply distressed by the deaths and people who remain unaccounted for in the area hit by the mudslide.

[...]

The top government spokesman Katsunobu Kato said the state will team up with experts and the Shizuoka prefectural government to look into whether the massive mudslide was exacerbated by about 54,000 cubic meters of soil which was accumulated at the mountain.

The city government said the former land owner, a Kanagawa-based real estate company, left the soil there in 2007. The local authorities suspect that some 100,000 cubic meters of soil, including the accumulated soil, collapsed into a nearby river around 10:30 a.m. Saturday, and traveled a distance of about 2 kilometers.

[...]

 

[Prisma]

On August 15th, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the memorial ceremony marking the 76th anniversary of Japan's surrender in WWII at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo.

Getty Images, AP Images

Ceremony in Tokyo marks 76 years since end of WWII | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News

[...]

The number of people attending the annual event in Tokyo was the lowest ever at about 200, due to the coronavirus pandemic. In the past, around 6,000 people have taken part each year.

[...]

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako took part in the memorial event.

The Emperor said, " looking back on the long period of post-war peace, reflecting on our past and bearing in mind the feelings of deep remorse, I earnestly hope that the ravages of war will never again be repeated. Together with all our people, I now pay my heartfelt tribute to all those who lost their lives in the war, both on the battlefields and elsewhere, and pray for world peace and for the continuing development of our country."

[...]

 

[Prisma]

Moving plans for Emperor Naruhito's family have changed due to the pandemic. The Imperial Household Agency originally thought the family would stay at Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi Prefecture while their personal belongings were moved from Akasaka Imperial residence to the Imperial residence September 6-15.

According to sources, Emperor Naruhito expressed concerns about traveling amid the surge of infections. Now plans are being adjusted for the family to live at the Imperial Palace (Kyūden) during the move. The Kyūden is used for ceremonies (Matsu-no-ma state room, Homeiden banquet hall, audience rooms, etc.) and is not meant for living accommodations.

It's the first time in 50 years the Kyūden will be used as a residence. Emperor Showa and Empress Kojun stayed overnight at the Kyūden for rehearsal before visiting Europe in 1971.

Sources: NHK, news.tbs.co.jp, news24.jp

Google Earth

 

[Prisma]

On September 6th, Emperor Naruhito's family began moving to the Imperial Residence. They departed Akasaka Imperial Residence around 2:30pm and were seen off by Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko, and staff.

Two of the Three Sacred Treasures followed Emperor Naruhito into the Imperial Residence. After the symbolic "move-in," the family posed for the media before going to the Imperial Palace's Kyūden, their temporary home for the next 10 days while their belongings are moved to the residence.

A statement was released: feelings of loneliness and deep emotion, warm memories, and gratitude for the many people supporting the lives and duties at Akasaka Estate, and those to worked to renovate Fukiage Sento residence. Emperor Naruhito has lived at Akasaka Estate for 50+ years. Besides the 2 years studying at Oxford and 4 years of independent living at Akasaka East residence, he lived at Akasaka Imperial Residence (aka Togu Palace) most his life. [Jiji]

Photos: Asahi, Mainichi, Sankei, Sankei 2

 

[Prisma]

Japan Emperor’s Family Delays Move to New Residence | Nippon.com

[...]

Relocation work is likely to be completed around next Monday, the Imperial Household Agency said.

[...]

The postponement comes as measures to prevent COVID-19 infections are prioritized during the relocation work, at the wish of the Imperial couple, agency officials said.

[...]

Sankei reports the delay will allow for more distancing and avoids long work hours for workers.

 

[Prisma]

Emperor Naruhito's family started living at the Imperial residence on September 20.

Japan Emperor’s Family Moves into New Residence | Nippon.com

Japanese Emperor Naruhito's family moved into their new residence at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Monday...

Longer video of the September 6 symbolic move:

 

[Happiness Always]

Took a look at the video... I noticed that Princess Kiko bowed deeply. I guess that's because she is bowing to the Emperor, Empress and Princess. If, or rather when, Prince Hisahito takes over the reins from his uncle, will Empress Masako be the one to bow deeply to Princess Kiko? Royal etiquette, Japanese royal etiquette at that, is pretty confusing.

Also thought that it was interesting for the Emperor to come up with staying at the palace instead of a hotel or at the Nasu residence in Tochigi. Love the reaction of Kunaicho ("Is that even possible?!?").