New emperor, empress to make first regional trip in June

May 1, 2019

Tokyo--Japan's new Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako are slated to visit Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, in early June, their first regional trip since the Emperor's enthronement on Wednesday.

They are set to participate in the 70th annual tree-planting festival, to be held in the city of Owariasahi in Aichi on June 2.

Emperor Naruhito, 59, and Empress Masako, 55, are planning to take over "almost all of the official duties" their predecessors, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, had performed, a senior official of the Imperial Household Agency said.

The new Imperial couple is also slated to attend the national sports and marine festivals, which had been joined by the retired Emperor and Empress.

In addition, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako plan to attend the national cultural festival, which has been joined by them since they were Crown Prince and Crown Princess.

This year's sports, marine and cultural festivals, all scheduled for autumn, will be held in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, Akita Prefecture, northeastern Japan, and the central prefecture of Niigata, respectively.

Later this month, the new Emperor is scheduled to attend a ceremony to bestow state decorations at the Imperial Palace and an event to welcome U.S. President Donald Trump, who will visit Japan as a state guest. The Emperor is also set to hold a meeting with the U.S. leader.

Also, Emperor Naruhito is expected to take over his father's rice farming activities at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Empress Masako has been under medical treatment since 2003. Whether she will carry out her official activities, including participation in enthronement-linked events and regional trips, is expected to depend on her physical condition, informed sources said.

But she has been expanding the scope of her activities recently. Last year, she took part in a New Year's Imperial event and a convention of the Japanese Red Cross Society.

The new Empress is expected to serve as honorary president of the Japanese Red Cross Society and engage in sericulture at the Imperial Palace, as past Empresses did.

But her physical condition "still has ups and downs," an aide said, noting that she has difficulties getting rid of fatigue after attending major events.

At a news conference in February, Emperor Naruhito, then Crown Prince, asked people to understand his wife's condition, saying that she "won't be able to do everything soon." Jiji Press