TOKYO (AP) — Japan's Emperor Naruhito and his family waved to a crowd of flag-waving New Year's well-wishers gathered at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Friday.
Standing with his wife Masako and the rest of the royal family, he wished a happy New Year to people lined up outside the palace balcony, some shouting “banzai” – Japanese for “long live.”
The annual New Year's performance by the emperor and his family draws huge crowds to the usually secluded grounds of the palace in central Tokyo.
People stand in long lines, braving the cold, for each of the five performances throughout the day as the imperial family remains relatively popular.
The Emperor has no political power, but has symbolic significance for Japan. He and his family are longtime advocates of peace, even though World War II was fought in the name of Naruhito's grandfather, Hirohito.
In a statement released in advance, Naruhito noted that last year marked the 80th anniversary of the end of that war. He stressed the importance of a message of peace given that war and strife continue in some parts of the world.
“I deeply feel that it is important to continue efforts among people to create dialogue, trying to deepen mutual understanding so that we can build peace in the world,” he said in a statement.
In both the statement and comments Friday, he addressed recent natural disasters such as earthquakes, heavy rains and snowfalls, and wildfires.
In 2024, the annual performance was canceled due to the New Year's earthquake on the Noto Peninsula, a coastal area in central Japan, which killed hundreds of people. It was canceled in 2021 and 2022 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Princess Aiko, the only child of the imperial couple, attended this year's felicitation along with her parents, as did other relatives. She is at the center of a national debate about the rules allowing only men to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The presence of Naruhito's nephew, Hisahito, has also attracted attention, as he now takes part in adult imperial events and is a possible heir to the throne. He is second in line after his father, the emperor's brother.
Akihito, Naruhito's father and emperor emeritus who abdicated the throne in 2019, was also there with his wife Michiko, the emperor's mother.
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Yuri Kageyama in the thread https://www.threads.net/@yurikageyama
