Profile of Japan's Empress Emeritus Michiko, who will have surgery for breast cancer

Record ID: 1430346

  • Title: Profile of Japan's Empress Emeritus Michiko, who will have surgery for breast cancer
  • Date: 9th August 2019
  • Summary: The royal pair stand side-by-side to offer prayers at the annual end-of-war memorials in 2016. TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - 2016) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** AKIHITO, MICHIKO AND PARTICIPANTS OFFERING SILENT PRAYERS AKIHITO AND MICHIKO BOWING Akihito and Michiko welcomed the Belgian royal family at the Imperial palace in 2016. TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - OCTOBER 11, 2016) (REUTERS) AKIHITO AND MICHIKO STANDING BELGIAN KING PHILIPPE AND QUEEN MATHILDE GETTING OUT OF CAR PHILIPPE AND MATHILDE SHAKING HANDS WITH AKIHITO AND MICHIKO Akihito and Michiko visited Vietnam in March 2017 for the first time, one of many trips he has used to try to soothe the wounds of war. HANOI, VIETNAM (FILE - MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AKIHITO AND MICHIKO WALKING PEOPLE WAVING FLAGS AKIHITO AND MICHIKO WALKING AWAY HANOI, VIETNAM (FILE - MARCH 3, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF AKIHITO AND MICHIKO SAYING GOODBYE TO GENERAL SECRETARY OF VIETNAM'S COMMUNIST PARTY NGUYEN PHU TRONG AKIHITO AND MICHIKO GETTING INTO CAR In January 2019, Akihito and Michiko greeted well-wishers on New Year's Day for a final time as Emperor and Empress. TOKYO, JAPAN (FILE - JANUARY 2, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE WAVING FLAGS AS AKIHITO AND MICHIKO WALK ONTO BALCONY OF IMPERIAL PALACE AKIHITO WAVING, MICHIKO LOOKING ON
  • Embargoed: 23rd August 2019 12:03
  • Keywords: file Akihito Japan profile Japanese Empress Michiko Empress Michiko royal Empress breast cancer
  • Location: TOKYO, IWO JIMA AND ISE, JAPAN / HANOI, VIETNAM
  • City: TOKYO, IWO JIMA AND ISE, JAPAN / HANOI, VIETNAM
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Royals
  • Reuters ID: LVA009ARIXA9Z
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Japan's Empress Emeritus Michiko is to have surgery on Sunday (September 8) after being diagnosed with an early-stage breast cancer, the Imperial Household Agency announced.
    Former Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko stepped down in April after three decades in their roles.
    An official of the Imperial Household Agency was not immediately available to comment.
    The most enduring image of the Empress Michiko for many Japanese is of her at her husband's side, whether dressed in slacks and a windbreaker at the ocean, waltzing with him at a party or, in their later years, with a hand at his arm in support.
    But this calm, almost cosy contentment was hard won for Michiko, who met the young Akihito on a tennis court and broke centuries of tradition by being the first commoner to marry into Japan's imperial family, which traditionalists say goes back more than 2,000 years.
    Hailed as a Cinderella figure when news of her engagement broke, the slender daughter of a wealthy industrialist endured reported bullying at the hands of court officials that saw her fade into a silent shadow of her former self several years after her marriage.
    But eventually she played an integral role in crafting the post-World War Two image of a royal family who tried to come as close as they could to ordinary Japanese.
  • Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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