Emperor Naruhito of Japan celebrates his 66th birthday today. At the press conference on the eve of his birthday, he mentioned that this year coincides with the 15th anniversary of the "3.11" Great East Japan Earthquake and the 10th anniversary of the Kumamoto Earthquake. He said that he and Queen Masako would continue to care about the lives of people in the disaster areas, and at the same time, he hoped that the younger generations in the family would continue to grow.
At the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, Japanese Emperor Naruhito (left) and Queen Masako waved to the people on the balcony to celebrate the emperor's 66th birthday. Reuters
According to the "Nihon Keizai Shimbun" report, Naruhito said that whenever he thinks of those who have lost loved ones in disasters or experienced drastic changes in their living environment, they will feel that "the wounds caused by the disaster have not yet healed." He also expressed that he was "confident" in the younger generation passing on experiences and lessons.
Naruhito also emphasized, "In an era when natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more intense, I always pray that new disasters will not occur. In the future, I hope to share the joys and sorrows with the people, listen to the voices of the victims, and accompany everyone."
Japanese Emperor Naruhito (left) delivers a speech on the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, accompanied by Empress Masako. That day was Emperor Naruhito's 66th birthday, and Queen Masako and other members of the royal family attended the celebration. european news agency
This spring, Naruhito and Queen Masako are expected to visit Iwate, Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures to learn about the recovery situation in the disaster areas.
Talking about the first official overseas visit of his only daughter, Prince Aikonai, in November last year, Naruhito expressed the hope that she could accumulate rich experience and grow further, and earnestly perform her duties as a member of the royal family. At the same time, he also talked about his life with Masako and Aiko's family of three, saying, "The time the three of us spend together makes life full of harmony and joy."
Regarding Prince Hisahito, his nephew and second in line to the Japanese throne, Naruhito mentioned that after Hisahito’s coming-of-age ceremony in September last year, he has started activities as an adult royal family. He encouraged Hisahito to "take advantage of what you can do now, accumulate experience, and continue to grow both as an individual and as a member of the royal family."
Emperor Naruhito of Japan celebrates his 66th birthday today. european news agency
Regarding the issue of reducing the number of members of the Japanese royal family in recent years and ensuring sufficient public servants, Naruhito pointed out, "It is important to accurately sense the pulse of the times and think about the appropriate way of conducting official duties at the moment."
According to Jiji News Agency, in conjunction with Naruhito’s birthday, the Tokyo Imperial Palace is open to the public today to congratulate him. In the morning, Naruhito, Empress Masako, Aiko and their younger brother Prince Fumihito and their family stood on the balcony of Changwa Palace to receive cheers from the people. Fumihito's only son Hisahito also made his first public appearance at the Emperor's birthday celebrations.
In order to prevent the recurrence of security incidents, the Imperial Household Agency installed protective nets on the railings to ensure the safety of the public and royal members.
Princess Aiko, the daughter of Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, smiles at well-wishers from the balcony of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. european news agency
