TOKYO: Crowds of people visited the Imperial Palace in Tokyo Friday for an event to congratulate Emperor Naruhito on his 64th birthday.

The Emperor delivered a speech to the visitors to the palace in Chiyoda Ward in the Japanese capital.

Emperor Naruhito will appear at the balcony of the Chowa-den hall three times in the morning with Empress Masako, the couple’s daughter, Princess Aiko, Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Kiko, and their second daughter, Princess Kako.

For last year’s gathering to celebrate the Emperor’s birthday, the first such event held since Japan’s Reiwa era started in May 2019 with the Emperor’s enthronement, visitors to the palace were chosen by lot in advance.

There was no such lot this time. The event to accept members of the public at the palace to mark the Emperor’s birthday was canceled for three straight years until 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A New Year’s event on Jan. 2 for the Emperor and other Imperial family members to greet the general public at the Palace was canceled in the wake of the Jan. 1 powerful earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan

In light of the serious damage caused by the quake to the region, the Imperial Household Agency is calling on people visiting the palace for Friday’s event not to shout to celebrate Emperor Naruhito’s birthday.

JIJI Press