An Imperial Week in Photos: Emperor Naruhito Welcomes a President, Empress Masako Honors Nurses
On July 29, Emperor Naruhito met with President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. President Simina was visiting Japan to attend his country's National Day at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai. At the Expo, participating countries are introduced on a rotating daily schedule. Emperor Naruhito meets with President Wesley Simina of the Federated States of Micronesia at the Imperial Palace on the morning of July 29.
Micronesia was the site of intense fighting between Japanese and American forces during World War II. His Majesty remarked, "It is deeply saddening that so many people lost their lives." He also expressed his gratitude for the country's cooperation in the recovery of the remains of the war dead and voiced his hope for continued friendly exchanges between the youth of both nations.
On July 30, the Annual Rites of Emperor Meiji were held at the Koreiden (Imperial Ancestor Sanctuary) of the Imperial Palace to mark the anniversary of Emperor Meiji's (Mutsuhito) death. Emperor Naruhito, Crown Prince Fumihito, and Crown Princess Kiko paid their respects. Other members of the Imperial Family, including Princess Aiko, daughter of the Emperor and Empress, were also in attendance.
That same day, Princess Akiko of the Mikasa branch of the Imperial Family attended the commemorative ceremony at Fushimi Momoyama Mausoleum in Kyoto, where Emperor Meiji is buried.
On July 28, Empress Masako took part in the Goyosan Osame no Gi — the final ritual of the sericulture (silk farming) season — held at the Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery within the Imperial Palace grounds.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, the Empress offered bundles of raw silk to the deities. She also expressed her appreciation to the lead sericulturists and staff for their work.
On July 31, Empress Masako attended the Florence Nightingale Medal award ceremony hosted by the Japanese Red Cross Society at the Tokyo Prince Hotel. As the organization's Honorary President, she awarded medals to three recipients and later spoke with them individually. Empress Masako, Crown Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako of Hitachi, Princess Nobuko, and Princess Hisako of Takamado attend the Florence Nightingale Medal award ceremony on the afternoon of July 31 in Minato Ward, Tokyo.
To one recipient — a nurse who had assisted in the rescue efforts following the 1985 crash of a Japan Airlines jumbo jet that claimed 520 lives — the Empress said, "You worked so hard," in recognition of her service. Also present at the ceremony were Princess Kiko (Honorary Vice President), Princess Hanako of Hitachi, Princess Nobuko of Tomohito, and Princess Hisako of Takamado.
Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko visited Kagawa Prefecture on July 26 and 27 to attend the National Cultural Festival for High Schools, also known as the "Inter-High of Cultural Clubs." At the opening ceremony in Takamatsu on the 26th, the Crown Prince encouraged students by saying, "I hope you will showcase the creativity you've cultivated and let your diverse talents bloom like the colorful flowers here in Kagawa." Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko watch the parade of the 49th National Cultural Festival for High Schools— afternoon of July 26, in Takamatsu City.
The following day, the couple visited exhibitions in the arts and crafts category and engaged with high school students participating in the event. Prince Fumihito and Princess Kiko visit the Art and Craft Division of the national high school cultural festival — morning of July 27, in Takamatsu City.
On July 30, Crown Prince Fumihito hosted 35 elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa at the Akasaka Higashi Residence within the Akasaka Estate. The students are part of a student reporters program called "Mame Kisha." The Crown Prince and his family spoke warmly with them about Okinawan culture and nature, as well as their reasons for wanting to become reporters. Prince Fumihito and his son, Prince Hisahito, speak with elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa taking part in the "Mame Kisha" program — morning of July 30. (Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency) Princess Kiko and her younger daughter, Princess Kako, speak with elementary and junior high school students from Okinawa participating in the student reporter program. (©Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency)
On July 25, Princess Kako, the second daughter of Prince and Princess Akishino, attended the opening ceremony of the 59th All Japan High School Equestrian Championships in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. She applauded as the student athletes marched in the ceremony. Princess Kako attends the opening ceremony of the All-Japan High School Equestrian Championships — morning of July 25, at the Equestrian Sports Center in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
Later that day, she visited the Takane-no-Mori Kodomoen (preschool) in the same city and interacted with the children. Princess Kako visits Takane no Mori Kodomoen and spends time with the children — afternoon of July 25, in Gotemba City, Shizuoka Prefecture.
On July 29, Princess Yoko of the Mikasa branch of the Imperial Family attended the elementary school division of the All Japan Kendo Dojo Federation's tournament, held at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward. The following day, she attended the middle school division of the same tournament.
Also on July 25, Princess Hisako of Takamado attended a board meeting of the Support Association of the International Education Center, held in Tokyo. She serves as the association's Honorary President.
Author: Masashi Nakamura and Tomomi Yoshizawa, The Sankei Shimbun
このページを 日本語 で読む
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Forward
a day ago
- Japan Forward
Enduring Trauma: The Forgotten Struggles of Japanese American Veterans
The trauma or psychological scars soldiers carry from the battlefield can haunt them long after the fighting ends. Some Japanese soldiers who fought in the last war also suffered from mental illness. However, their struggles were largely overlooked, and their wounds have since been buried in history. Eighty years on, we continue to examine the enduring impact of war. In the dense jungle, enemy forces advanced through underground tunnels. "The first two months were the scariest. I knew nothing about war or the battlefield, and I was constantly on edge, never knowing when I might run into the enemy," recalled Takeshi Furumoto, a third-generation Japanese American living in New Jersey. He is now 80 years old. Fifty years after the end of the Vietnam War (1955–1975), he looked back and revisited his memories from that time. Takeshi Furumoto in New Jersey, US. Furumoto graduated from university in 1968 and enlisted in the United States Army. In February 1970, he was deployed to the front lines near the Cambodian border as an intelligence officer. His mission was to gather information about enemy movements from local residents. When he arrived in the villages, however, he often found them deserted, the enemy having already fled. Haunted by unseen foes and gripped by suspicion toward the villagers, he lived in a state of constant tension. Takashi Furumoto serving in the Vietnam War, June 1970. The guerrilla enemy skillfully lured American soldiers into minefields. Furumoto saw a superior officer ambushed, his leg blown off by a grenade, and comrades gunned down before his eyes. "I was always on edge, but over time my senses grew numb, and I stopped caring. I just felt empty," he recalled. To strip the jungle of cover, the US military sprayed defoliants from the air, the chemicals falling indiscriminately on both friends and foes. Furumoto returned home in February 1971, but found it difficult to get along with those around him. Eventually, he left Los Angeles and moved to New Jersey on the East Coast. Unaware of the changes within himself, he had become constantly dissatisfied and quick to anger. "Before the war, he was an optimistic and compassionate person…" said his wife, Carolyn (77). She also sensed that something had changed in her husband after the war. Takashi Furumoto, appointed a second lieutenant in the US Army Intelligence Division, February 1969. The siren of the fire truck leaving the station across the street reminded Furumoto of the alarm that blared when rockets were launched at the enemy on the battlefield. Each time it sounded, he would dive under the bed. It took a long time before it was discovered that the cause of these changes was post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a condition stemming from the trauma he experienced on the battlefield. "There still are homeless Vietnam War veterans in Manhattan, New York," Furumoto said. "Without my wife's support, I could have ended up in the same situation." Furumoto was born in a Japanese American internment camp established by the US government after the outbreak of the war between Japan and the US. In December 1945, shortly after the atomic bombing, his family relocated to Hiroshima. They returned to the US in 1956, when discrimination against Japanese Americans remained deeply entrenched. Takeshi Furumoto with his wife, Carolyn, on their wedding day in Los Angeles, USA, January 30, 1972. While many Americans resisted military service, Furumoto chose to enlist, driven by a desire to be recognized as an American. At the time, the Vietnam War became the first conflict to be televised, and the anti-war movement was in full swing. Like many returning soldiers, Furmoto was deeply wounded by insults hurled at him by those opposed to the war. He was accosted with words like "murderer" and "Why did you come back alive?" Eventually, with his wife's support, he founded a successful real estate company in 1974. Yet he kept his memories of Vietnam locked away, remaining silent about his experiences. It wasn't until about 2019, when the New Jersey state government formally recognized his service, that he finally began to open up and share his story from the war. A medal that Furumoto once felt uneasy displaying hangs in his office. Having been exposed to defoliants, he underwent two heart surgeries and now takes ten different medications. "For the first time, I felt appreciated and proud to have fought on the battlefield. Fifty years after the war ended, I finally felt like my old self again," Furumoto said. After losing the Vietnam War, his homeland, the United States, sought to forget that difficult era. Meanwhile, in postwar Japan, values shifted dramatically, and the topic of war became taboo. Reflecting on his own experiences, Furumoto also contemplated his connection to his other homeland, Japan. "What hurt the most was that even though we fought for our country, society criticized us. I believe Japanese soldiers felt that pain, too," he said. Author: Shoko Ikeda, Eriko Ogawa, The Sankei Shimbun (Read this in Japanese )
Canada News.Net
a day ago
- Canada News.Net
Nagasaki survivors urge world to abolish nuclear weapons
NAGASAKI, Japan: Eighty years after the U.S. atomic bombing of Nagasaki, the southern Japanese city paused on August 9 to remember the devastation — and to renew its vow to ensure no other place on Earth suffers the same fate. Survivors, many now in their 80s and 90s, say their mission is to make Nagasaki the final chapter in the history of nuclear warfare. On August 9, 1945, a plutonium bomb dropped by the United States exploded over Nagasaki at 11:02 a.m., killing roughly 70,000 people. The attack came just three days after Hiroshima was leveled by another atomic bomb that killed 140,000. Less than a week later, on August 15, Japan surrendered, bringing World War II to an end and closing the country's nearly half-century of military aggression across Asia. This year's memorial drew about 2,600 attendees, including representatives from more than 90 nations, to Nagasaki Peace Park. At the exact moment of the blast eight decades ago, the crowd observed a solemn minute of silence as a bell tolled. Doves — long a symbol of peace — were released into the gray, rain-soaked sky after a speech by Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki, whose parents survived the bombing. "The memories of the atomic bombing are a shared human heritage and must be passed on across generations and borders," Suzuki declared. Warning that humanity's "existential crisis" is becoming immediate and personal for everyone, he vowed to work with people around the world to abolish nuclear weapons and secure lasting peace. Earlier in the day, survivors and their families gathered quietly at Peace Park and Hypocenter Park, the exact location beneath the bomb's detonation. Others attended services in Nagasaki's churches, part of the city's deep-rooted Catholic heritage, shaped by centuries of persecution during Japan's feudal era. At Urakami Cathedral — destroyed in the bombing — its twin bells rang together for the first time since one, lost in the blast, was recently recovered and restored. For survivors, the day was both a commemoration and a reminder of an unfinished mission. Despite enduring lifelong wounds, radiation-linked illnesses, and discrimination, they have devoted themselves to nuclear disarmament. Yet, they now worry the world is moving in the opposite direction, with atomic threats mounting and some governments expanding arsenals. The number of officially recognized survivors has dwindled to 99,130, with an average age of over 86. Many fear their memories will fade before younger generations grasp the urgency of their cause. "We must keep records of survivors' stories and the damage they endured," said 83-year-old Teruko Yokoyama, who lost two sisters to radiation-related illnesses. Her group is digitizing testimonies for YouTube and social media, hoping technology will keep the history alive. "There are younger people starting to take action," she said. "We don't have to lose hope yet." On August 8, a "peace forum" brought together more than 300 young people from across Japan to hear first-hand accounts. Ninety-year-old survivor Seiichiro Mise handed out "seeds of peace," symbolizing his wish for their activism to grow. Still, frustration lingers over Japan's refusal to join the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, a stance shaped by its reliance on the U.S. nuclear umbrella. Survivors criticize this position, seeing it as incompatible with calls for disarmament. In his address, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reaffirmed Japan's commitment to a nuclear-free world, promising to promote dialogue between nuclear and non-nuclear states at the 2026 Non-Proliferation Treaty review conference in New York. However, he did not mention the nuclear weapons ban treaty. Not all nations accepted Nagasaki's invitation to attend; China declined without explanation. Last year's ceremony was marred by controversy after the city refused to invite Israel, prompting the absence of the U.S. ambassador and several other Western diplomats.
Global News
a day ago
- Global News
Mind the gap: Wheelchair passengers question accessibility of new Mark V SkyTrains
It has been one month since TransLink announced a 'new era' for SkyTrain as its new Mark V trains rolled into service, but some commuters say they've seen a step backward in accessibility. TransLink has ordered 235 Mark V train cars, which will eventually replace older trains serving both the Expo and Millennium lines. The transit authority has touted their wider aisles and open multi-use areas that can accommodate strollers, wheelchairs and other mobility devices. But transit users like Janice Laurence say the new train cars aren't level with many of the stations' platforms, forcing riders to hop up as much as five centimetres to get aboard. For commuters like Laurence, who uses a wheelchair, that is a problem. 'Look at how high that is. There shouldn't be a gap like that,' she told Global News. Story continues below advertisement 'Sometimes I've waited for three trains because I physically couldn't get on.' 0:53 Next generation Mark V SkyTrain cars now in service on Expo Line Laurence said the new trains should be flush with the platforms, and that she was frustrated the new trains weren't better equipped for people with mobility issues. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Tessa Schmidt, who gets around with a wheelchair and a service dog, said she recently became stuck halfway on one of the new trains because she couldn't get her back wheel aboard. Passengers on the train had to hold the doors open so she could back out; her dog had already boarded ahead of her, and she said she feared he could have been separated or hurt. 'I was excited for the new trains to come in, and I expected there to be issues and concerns with new modes of transportation, new things, but I did not expect it to be a couple of inches,' she said. Story continues below advertisement 'I find it frustrating because this is an issue that they should have looked at for not just people in wheelchairs, but people with walkers and elderly people pulling carts… TransLink is spending a lot of money on these new trains.' Schmidt said TransLink is well aware of the issue, as its station attendants are frequently called on to help people get aboard the trains. She added that a staff member told her TransLink was looking into possibly adapting the platforms to address the problem. TransLink says it tested the new trains extensively and that a review of its platform gaps found they met safety and accessibility standards. 'Our gaps go above and beyond when it comes to the Americans with Disabilities Act standards,' spokesperson Anita Bathe said. 2:57 Sneak peak into massive Broadway SkyTrain project However, she said 'there's always room for improvement,' and that the transit agency wants feedback from its riders. Story continues below advertisement 'We want to make sure going forward that no rider has to experience something like this, and we will look at the issue at hand and try to make improvements going forward,' she added. Laurence and Schmidt both say they hope to see improvements that will make it easier for everyone with mobility challenges to access the transit system. In the meantime, Schmidt called on other commuters to give their fellow passengers a hand. 'If you see someone struggling to get on the train, maybe offer them help, don't be looking at your phone as someone's trying to navigate onto a train and not moving out of their way,' she said. 'If you see a person with a mobility device, you can also go and flag down an attendant for help so that the person with the disability doesn't have to go and do that and take more time out of the day.'
