- Title: Japanese welcome Emperor's enthronement despite rainy weather
- Date: 22nd October 2019
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (OCTOBER 22, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE GATHERING OUTSIDE OF IMPERIAL PALACE UNDER HEAVY RAIN POLICE OFFICERS STANDING IN FRONT OF SPECTATORS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) EIKO SAKAKURA, 83, SAYING: "In simple words, I was moved. That's my feeling." PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) UNIVERSITY STUDENT, TAKUMI YOKOYAMA, 21, SAYING: "I hope the emperor will serve as a symbol of Japan and be confident." PEOPLE WATCHING ENTHRONEMENT CEREMONY VIA SMARTPHONE (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) RETIREE, KAZUNORI JIFU, 71, SAYING: "I think there are customs the emperor cannot change and that can be left as it is. But apart from that, I hope they can make the changes they want." PEOPLE LOOKING AT SMARTPHONES
- Embargoed: 5th November 2019 08:19
- Keywords: Aung San Suu Kyi Japan Wang Qishan Empress Masako Tokyo royal Imperial Palace enthronement ceremony Emperor Naruhito Jigme Dorji Wangchuck King Felipe
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Royals,Editors' Choice
- Reuters ID: LVA002B26G7K7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Japanese Emperor Naruhito formally proclaimed his ascendancy to the throne on Tuesday (October 22) in a centuries-old ceremony attended by dignitaries from more than 180 countries, pledging to fulfil his duty as a symbol of the state.
Naruhito became emperor and his wife Masako became empress on May 1 in a brief ceremony, but Tuesday's enthronement was a more elaborate ritual at the royal palace in which he officially announced his change in status to the world.
Britain's Prince Charles, Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, Chinese Vice President, Wang Qishan and U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao were among some 2,000 guests from around the world.
Despite the rainy weather in Tokyo, Japanese people flocked to the Imperial Palace to celebrate Emperor Naruhito's enthronement and to catch a glimpse of the royals going in and out of the palace in their cars.
One spectator who had travelled from Nagoya, 83 year-old Eiko Sakakura said "I was moved. That's my feeling." While 71 year-old Kazunori Jifu from Kagoshima hopes the new emperor and empress can make changes to old traditions for the new era.
(Production: Akira Tomoshige, Hideto Sakai, Akiko Okamoto) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2019. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
