Tag Archives: Empress Michiko of Japan

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A New Imperial Portrait!

  May 22, 2018 at 10:35 am by

A new oil painting of Their Majesties The Emperor and Empress of Japan was revealed yesterday by the Imperial Household Agency. The painting, by 81 year old Hiroshi Noda, is square portrait measuring two metres by two metres and depicts Their Majesties standing formally side-by-side.  It uses muted tones, colour and light, with Emperor Akihito wearing a dark suit and tie, and Empress Michiko resplendent in full-length embroidered outfit and a … Continue reading →

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Japanese Imperial Family Attend New Year’s Lectures

  January 10, 2018 at 8:00 am by

Members of the Japanese Imperial Family attended the traditional New Year’s Lectures, Kousho Hajime, held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Wednesday. Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko and the family listened to lectures by Professor Kazui Tashiro, Professor Naoyuki Osaka and Akira Fujishima, the President of the Tokyo University of Science, deliver lectures on topics relating to “human, social and natural sciences”. Crown Princess Masako was present at the event for the … Continue reading →

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Emperor Akihito Receives New Year’s Greetings From The Public

  January 2, 2018 at 4:40 pm by

On Tuesday January 2nd, Emperor Akihito of Japan received the well-wishes of the Japanese public on the occasion of the New Year from the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The Emperor wished the crowd – which amounted to more than 125,000 over the course of the day – “that this year will prove a gentle and spiritually fulfilling one for as many people as possible.” He was joined … Continue reading →

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Imperial Family Gather For New Year’s Greetings at Palace

  January 1, 2018 at 7:20 am by

Adult members of the Japanese Imperial Family gathered at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Monday, January 1, for the annual New Year’s greetings delivered to Emperor Akihito. The Emperor and Empress led the festivities, where they received greetings for 2018 from the Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe; the heads of the National Diet chambers (the House of Representatives and the House of Councillors); lawmakers and foreign ambassadors listed to Japan. This … Continue reading →

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Luxembourg’s Grand Duke Begins State Visit to Japan

  November 27, 2017 at 7:04 pm by

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg began a four-day state visit to Japan on Monday, accompanied by his daughter, Princess Alexandra. The visit’s purpose is to mark the 90th anniversary of bilateral relations between Luxembourg and Japan. The pair were welcomed at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, with whom they had a fifteen-minute audience after the Grand Duke reviewed the traditional military guard of honour … Continue reading →

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Emperor Akihito Meets With US President Trump At Imperial Palace

  November 6, 2017 at 9:12 am by

The Emperor and Empress of Japan today welcomed United States President Donald Trump to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo for an audience. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko greeted the President and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, outside the Palace entrance before the 20-minute long audience, during which the monarch and the President discussed the strong relationship between Japan and the United States that has been achieved in the years … Continue reading →

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Two Be(ne)lux State Visits Announced

  October 27, 2017 at 7:10 am by

Two Benelux State Visits have been announced yesterday. Both state visits will take place in November. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde will be visiting India from November 5th to 11th. The Belgian king and queen will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Didier Reynders and by the prime ministers of Belgium’s various regions and communities. The visit will focus mainly on New Delhi and Mumbai. The State Visit of the Grand … Continue reading →

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Japan’s Royal Ladies Attend Red Cross Annual Meeting

  May 25, 2017 at 11:09 am by

Empress Michiko was joined by several ladies from the Imperial Family for the annual National Red Cross Convention in Tokyo earlier today. The Empress, as Honorary President of the Japanese Red Cross Society, was tasked with delivering medal and certificates to individuals and organisations in recognition of their contribution to the Red Cross. This year marks the 140th anniversary of the Japanese Red Cross Society, so there were three extra … Continue reading →

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Crown Princess Victoria Begins Japanese Visit With Imperial Audience

  April 18, 2017 at 8:58 am by

Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria has started a working visit to Japan today, in her role as an advocate of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. She spent time at the Tokyo Imperial Palace this afternoon having lunch and a private audience with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Over the next few days, Victoria will have a number of engagements related to sustainable fishing practices. The Crown Princess looked stunning in the … Continue reading →

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Sayōnara Japan! King Felipe and Queen Letizia Finish State Visit

  April 7, 2017 at 3:02 pm by

On the final day of their state visit to Japan, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain travelled on a Shinkansen with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko to the city of Shizuoka. Here they visited the Shizuoka Prefecture Earthquake Disaster Prevention Centre to see technologies that are being used to improve the detection and response to earthquakes. The monarchs were shown the Seismic Effects Experimentation Area, witnessing a demonstration of a chair mechanised … Continue reading →

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Spanish Monarchs Begin State Visit to Japan

  April 5, 2017 at 8:13 pm by

The King and Queen of Spain officially began their state visit to Japan on Wednesday, with a traditional welcoming at the Tokyo Imperial Palace by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe were also present at the welcoming. In the afternoon, King Felipe and Queen Letizia visited the National Museum of Science and Innovation to see projects that have been … Continue reading →

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Empress Michiko Comes Down With Shingles Following Vietnam Tour

  March 18, 2017 at 12:15 am by

The Imperial Household Agency confirmed on Thursday that Empress Michiko is suffering from shingles, caused by fatigue following her weeklong tour to Vietnam and Thailand earlier this month. The Empress has shingles on the “upper part of her belly” the IHA said, with the assurance she is on a round of medication to treat the illness. While the Empress was originally not expected to cancel any duties because of the … Continue reading →

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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko Pay Their Respects To Late Thai King

  March 5, 2017 at 7:52 pm by

After completing their official visit to Vietnam, the Emperor and Empress of Japan have paid a short visit to Thailand, to pay their respects to the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko laid a wreath of flowers at the late King’s altar in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall at the Grand Palace in Bangkok on Sunday, before signing the official condolence book. The late King and the Japanese … Continue reading →

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Emperor and Empress of Japan On Visit To Vietnam

  March 2, 2017 at 8:03 am by

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan began their official visit to Vietnam – the first of a Japanese monarch – this week, with a welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi attended by President Trần Đại Quang on Wednesday. The purpose of the visit is to promote goodwill between Japan and Vietnam. The Imperial Couple also laid a wreath at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the memorial monument to the first President … Continue reading →

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A Rest for the Emperor After Mild Fever

  January 30, 2017 at 4:44 am by

Emperor Akihito of Japan was unable to attend a ritual ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo this morning due to a mild fever. The Imperial Household Agency confirmed that His Imperial Majesty was given a flu shot at the weekend as a measure to prevent pneumonia. However, due to the nature of the inoculation, it may have caused his temperature to rise. The Agency added that there were no … Continue reading →

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Japan’s Emperor and Empress To Visit Vietnam and Thailand

  January 20, 2017 at 6:32 am by

The Emperor and Empress of Japan will be making their first official visit to Vietnam at the end of February, the Japanese Government has announced today. It is expected they will meet with top members of Vietnam’s Government, including President Trần Đại Quang, during the five-day visit, as well visit the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. On March 5, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will stop in Thailand before returning to Japan the … Continue reading →

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Imperial Family Attends New Year’s Lectures

  January 11, 2017 at 9:24 pm by

Emperor Akihito has led members of the Imperial Family during the annual Kosho Hajime no Gi (New Year’s Lectures) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo today. Attending were the Empress, Crown Prince Naruhito, Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, Princess Mako and Prince and Princess Hitachi. The family listened to three lectures from professors of the University of Tokyo and the Waseda University, on the topics of French literature, political science and … Continue reading →

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Emperor Akihito Celebrates 83rd Birthday With Record-Breaking Crowd

  December 23, 2016 at 5:29 am by

Japanese Emperor Akihito today celebrates his 83rd birthday, and as is customary, appeared on the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with other members of the Imperial Family to greet well-wishers. 33,000 people crowded into the Palace area to catch a glimpse of the monarch, beating the previous most-attended event in 2009 to mark the Emperor’s 20th anniversary on the throne (just over 30,000 people attended that event). Appearing … Continue reading →

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Preparations Underway for Imperial Funeral

  November 2, 2016 at 6:16 am by

Preparations for the Funeral of His Imperial Highness Prince Mikasa of Japan are underway with the ceremony taking place this coming Friday, 4th November at the Toshimagaoka Imperial Cemetery in Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo.  The funeral will take the form of a “renso no go” rite, in which the late Prince’s coffin will be entombed. In the meantime, Their Imperial Majesties, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko have paid their respects to … Continue reading →

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Belgian State Visit to Japan: Day Three and Four

  October 13, 2016 at 11:25 am by

On the third day of the state visit, on Wednesday October 12, Their Majesties King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, along with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, travelled by train to Yuki, a city in the north of Japan. In Yuki they visited a textile industry where they were given a demostration about the creation of a traditional woven silk textile called Yuki-tsugumi. Back in Tokyo, Queen Mathilde attended a seminar to … Continue reading →

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