Portrait of Japanese Emperor, Empress Unveiled

May 22, 2018

Tokyo- Japan's Imperial Household Agency unveiled on Monday the first portrait of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko since their enthronement.

The portrait, 2 meters in width and height, was drawn by Hiroshi Noda, 81, a master of realism painting. It depicts the Emperor standing on the left side with Empress Michiko on the right.

According to the agency, there are a total of 31 portraits of the emperors and empresses from the Meiji to Showa period.

The only portrait of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko was drawn when they were still crown prince and princess, at the request of a group of Japanese Brazilians in 1974. It is not held at the Imperial Palace.

After the emperor's 80th birthday in 2013 and ahead of the 30th anniversary of their enthronement in 2019, the agency asked Noda to draw their portrait after obtaining approval from the couple.

The painter started creating the work in 2014.

The completed portrait was handed over to the Imperial Palace in March this year. Jiji Press