Crown Prince Naruhito turns 59, vows to fulfill role of symbol

February 23, 2019

Tokyo--Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, who will become Emperor on May 1, expressed his determination to fulfill the role of the symbol of the state after taking the throne, at a news conference before he turned 59 on Saturday.

"I feel very solemn when I think forward," the Crown Prince said, speaking at the Togu Palace in Tokyo ahead of his final birthday as first heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

"I hope to fulfill my new duties as the symbol (of the state) while always staying close to the heart of the people and sharing their joys and sorrows," he said. His father, Emperor Akihito, will abdicate on April 30.

Looking back on his years as Crown Prince, he said he has tried to get many opportunities to interact with people, through such occasions as events and visits to disaster-hit areas, so that he can learn what the Imperial Family should do for the people.

"I want to continue (such efforts) as a large part of what I will do" after becoming Emperor, he said.

Crown Prince Naruhito, who has been studying water-related issues for many years, said, "I can think about the stability and development of the people's lives including prosperity and disaster prevention" from aspects of water issues, suggesting that he will make use of his knowledge in performing his official duties.

He expressed his belief that the Imperial Family is about sharing the peoples' joys and sorrows and that the idea has been passed down through the ages.

"It's important to continue seeking how (the Emperor as) the symbol (of the state) should be," the Crown Prince said.

On his wife, Crown Princess Masako, who is receiving treatment for stress-related illness, the Crown Prince said she is able to perform a wider variety of activities but added that there are good and bad days.

She will not suddenly be able to perform all her duties after becoming Empress, he said, expressing hopes that the public will continue to wait warmly for her recovery.

The Crown Prince also said he understands that the planned succession-related events, including the Daijosai rite, in which the new Emperor prays for the well-being of the people and a good harvest, were fixed after being sufficiently considered by the government. Last year, Prince Akishino, the younger brother of the Crown Prince, raised objections to using state funds for the Daijosai rite, a Shinto-linked ceremony. Jiji Press