On the 20th, Empress Emerita celebrated her 88th birthday.
In April this year, the Empress Emerita moved from her temporary residence to her former residence during the time of the Crown Princess, located in Akasaka Imperial Site in Minato-ku, Tokyo, for the first time in about 30 years.
According to the Imperial Household Agency, a nursery school child near the temporary residence gave him seeds of fusenkazura, which he is carefully growing at his residence.
This past year as well, the new coronavirus, which has continued to spread since the beginning of the year, has been concerned about the infected people while following the progress every day with the Emperor.
In addition, it is said that the state of the affected areas of natural disasters that occurred in various places, such as the earthquake off the coast of Fukushima prefecture in March, was observed with a seismic intensity of 6 upper.
For Queen Elizabeth of England, who passed away in September this year, in her deep sorrow, together with her emperor, we remember her days and thank her for her long-standing friendship. , It is said that he prayed for her repose.
In the Imperial Family, Princess Aiko, the eldest daughter of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, came of age last December, and Prince Hisahito, the eldest son of Prince Akishino and his wife, entered high school this spring.
Furthermore, in June, Yuriko, Princess Mikasa, celebrated her 99th birthday, and each of them was pleased with the Emperor.
On the other hand, in terms of physical condition, he still has symptoms of fever in the afternoon since May last year, and the diagnostic index of heart failure continues to exceed normal.
In July this year, he underwent laser surgery for secondary cataracts, and in August, he was diagnosed with ``deep vein thrombosis, peripheral type,'' in which a blood clot formed in the calf of his right leg. He spends his time regularly, such as continuing to read aloud after breakfast.
The Empress Emerita's birthday celebration was not held due to the influence of the new corona, but this year it will be held in a simple form for the first time in four years, with thorough infection control measures. .
Current status of Empress Emerita
The recent status of Empress Emerita announced by the Imperial Household Agency.
The Empress Emerita will celebrate Beiju this year.
In April of this year, I moved from the Sento Temporary Imperial Palace in Takanawa, Minato Ward, where I lived for about two years, to the Sento Imperial Palace in Akasaka.
On the day of the move, we received greetings from the Mayor of Minato Ward and the chairman of the neighborhood community, and saw off by the nursery school children and many locals with whom we had interacted.
The days spent in Takanawa, such as the neighbors I often interacted with during my walks, and the changes of the four seasons in the garden colored with trees and flowers, were filled with gratitude for the quiet and warm welcome of the locals. With the thought of, I think that I will be able to look back on it as a nostalgic and precious memory.
The seeds of "Fussen Kazura" picked by the kindergarteners given by the kindergarteners are now being carefully nurtured at the Sento Imperial Palace.
In the past year, the infection of the new corona virus has continued to expand.
In particular, the number of new infections has increased rapidly since the beginning of the year, with the sixth wave of infections exceeding 100,000 people nationwide in February, and the seventh wave of over 200,000 people in July. His Majesty and I were watching the progress every day, and were concerned about the infected.
In addition, the Tohoku Shinkansen derailed in the Fukushima Prefecture Offshore Earthquake, which observed a seismic intensity of 6 upper in the middle of the night on March 16, causing a large-scale power outage mainly in the Tohoku region. Afterwards, His Majesty and I were looking at the situation and worrying about the situation in the disaster area.
You are always keeping an eye on natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and heavy rains that occur in various places, and are watching over the situation in the affected areas.
This year, which marks the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion, we will hold a special exhibition "Ryukyu" at the Tokyo National Museum together with His Majesty in June, and a special exhibition "The 50th Anniversary of Okinawa's Reversion: Special Exhibition at the National Archives of Japan." You have seen Okinawa's reversion to Japan traced in writing.
Also, in July, he attended the Childhood Cancer Conquest Campaign Charity Concert, which he attended almost every year from 1998 to 2019, before the spread of the new coronavirus. However, I have refrained from other visits, including the customary retreat at the Imperial Villa.
Meetings with outsiders were also avoided as much as possible.
After returning to the Sento Imperial Palace for the first time in about 30 years, he continues to spend his time as usual, taking morning and evening walks with His Majesty, and reading aloud after breakfast.
I have been reading aloud since I was in the Crown Prince's Imperial Palace, and following Torahiko Terada's "Kaki no Tane" and Ukichiro Nakaya's works, I am currently reading the Japanese language textbooks from the time of His Majesty's elementary school.
(His Majesty studied in elementary school in the 1st grade and at a national school from the 2nd grade, and Empress Emerita attended a national school from the 1st grade of elementary school. Therefore, Their Majesties have been studying from the same textbook since the second grade of elementary school.)
Also, as a daily routine, Their Majesties read the morning and evening newspapers. It seems that you are reading and sharing interesting articles with each other.
After moving in, we received letters from various people, such as congratulations on the safe move, and letters of concern about the elderly couple's physical condition, as well as books and music CDs. We have received a lot of them, and they are enriching our daily lives.
As you stroll around the garden, you will be able to see the roses blooming in the garden as the seasons change, the dwarf lotus, the lotus flower, the sunflower in the distance, and the sunflower. I hear it from people.
I have heard that you are following the seasonal behaviors of gray herons, grebes, spot-billed ducks and wagtails with great interest at the Akasaka Imperial Palace, which you can pass through on your afternoon walks.
On Okinawa Memorial Day, the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombing Days, the anniversary of the end of the war, and the days of the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake, I still pray for silence while watching TV broadcasts with His Majesty.
In addition, while the court rituals are being held, you are always sober with His Majesty.
There was a farewell to the people who have been interacting with this year.
In January this year, Kyoko Matsuoka, a children's literary author and founder of the Tokyo Children's Library, passed away.
Through her many years of work with IBBY (International Council for Children's Books), she was a dear friend of quiet friendship and affectionate interaction.
I have been to the Tokyo Children's Library many times, but shortly before she passed away, she gladly responded to my request to speak with the Empress Emerita, and was able to have a heartfelt conversation with her. I hear that.
I was sad to say goodbye to many people, including the fashion designers Sei Miyake, Hanae Mori, and Teijiro Furukawa, former Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary and Chairman of the Mother and Child Aiiku Association of the Imperial Gift Foundation.
In September, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England passed away, and in deep sorrow, I remembered the appearance of Her Majesty the Queen in the days when she was with Her Majesty, and I am grateful for her long-standing friendship. I prayed for the repose of the soul of Tsutsu.
Regarding your physical condition, you still have the symptoms of fever rising in the afternoon from May of the year before last, and your BNP value, which is a diagnostic index for heart failure, continues to exceed normal values.
In July, he underwent laser posterior capsulotomy for a secondary cataract in his right eye at the University of Tokyo Hospital. I was diagnosed with
Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko reached the age of majority in December last year, Her Imperial Highness Prince Hisahito entered the University of Tsukuba Senior High School this spring, and Her Imperial Highness Princess Yuriko, Princess Takahito celebrated her Hakuju in June this year. Your Majesty and I were delighted.
For the past three years, you have come without holding a birthday event, but this year, on the advice of the retired emperor, you will receive a simple celebration that takes into account the prevention of infection with the new coronavirus. will be
On the day of the event, at the Sento Imperial Palace, Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Heir and Princess as representatives of the Imperial Family, representatives of former members of the Imperial Family and their relatives, the Chief of the Imperial Household Agency and the Deputy Director General of the Imperial Household Agency as representatives of staff, the former Chief of the Imperial Household Agency and former close aides We are planning to receive congratulations from the representative, the Chief of the Imperial Police Headquarters, the Emperor's Escort Division side guard, and the Emperor's staff.