Press Conferences on the occasion of Her Majesty's Birthday (Written Answers) (2018)

Notes

(1) “stepping into a very special melon garden” refers to the well-known saying, “Don’t put on your shoes in the melon garden.” If you bend down to put on your shoes in the melon garden, people may think you are stealing the melons, so the saying means, “Don’t do things that would invite suspicion.”

(2) Japanese dandelions are decreasing in number because of the proliferation of non-native species.

(3) Japanese honeybees are decreasing in number due to multiple factors.

(4) His Majesty the Emperor has written two scholarly papers on the eating habits of Japanese raccoon dogs living on the Imperial Palace Grounds.

Today Her Majesty the Empress celebrated Her 84th birthday.

Over the past year, Her Majesty has not always been in perfect health. In addition to the chronic pain caused by cervical spondylotic radiculopathy that has ailed Her for years, She has occasionally been experiencing pain in Her legs since around the beginning of this year, and since October 2, Her Majesty has also shown symptoms of a cold such as coughing and slight fever, with the coughing persisting for more than two weeks. However, in spite of Her own health problems, Her Majesty has continued to watch over and care for His Majesty’s health by His side to support His Majesty in His determination to fulfill each and every one of His duties until His abdication at the end of April 2019, while carrying out, with all Her heart, the final round of duties in Her capacity as Empress on 330 occasions.

In addition to the official engagements, Her Majesty met the members of the Palace voluntary workforce and voluntary helpers at the Kashiko Dokoro (Palace Sanctuary) who serve at the ritual ceremonies of the Imperial Palace and thanked them for their services. She met a total of approximately 11,500 persons on 70 occasions, which are not counted in the official duties.

This year again, as Japan was struck by many natural disasters, from typhoons and torrential rains to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, Her Majesty, together with His Majesty, made a number of visits to the areas struck by the disasters, to comfort those affected by the disasters and together with the families of the deceased prayed for the victims.

In October last year, ahead of Their attendance at the 37th National Convention for the Development of an Abundantly Productive Sea in Fukuoka Prefecture, Their Majesties visited the areas in Fukuoka and Oita prefectures where the torrential rains that hit northern Kyushu in July the same year resulted in many casualties and forced numerous people to evacuate their homes. In both Fukuoka and Oita, after hearing from the governors about the status of damage, They met with and extended Their sympathies to the people affected by the disaster. In November, before visiting a number of remote islands in Kagoshima Prefecture, Their Majesties received a briefing at Kagoshima Airport from the governor, who informed Their Majesties about the May 2015 eruption on Kuchi-no-erabu-jima island and the status of recovery. Their Majesties then flew to Yakushima, where all the residents of Kuchi-no-erabu-jima had temporarily evacuated at the time. There They talked with many residents of Kuchi-no-erabu-jima who had come from their island to greet Their Majesties and consoled them for their hardships. On the occasion of the 69th National Arbor Day Festival held in June in Minami-soma, Fukushima Prefecture, Their Majesties travelled a long distance by car, and on the first day of the visit, They met and conversed with residents of the Kita-yoshima apartment complex, a post-disaster public housing project built by the prefecture. On the second day, at the Shidoke Village Centre, Their Majesties paid Their respects at a monument to the victims of the tsunami that followed the Great East Japan Earthquake. On the third day, despite the poor weather, Their Majesties laid flowers at a cenotaph to the victims of the earthquake in Soma, Fukushima Prefecture. In September, Their Majesties took two separate day trips to Okayama, Ehime, and Hiroshima prefectures, all of which sustained extensive damage from the torrential rains in July.

As for regional visits, on the occasion of Their trip to Fukuoka Prefecture to attend the 37th National Convention for the Development of an Abundantly Productive Sea, Their Majesties visited the shrines of Munakata Taisha and toured the Yaskawa Innovation Centre and Kitakyushu Eco-Town Centre. While the ceremonies and events of the National Convention were held as scheduled, the welcome ceremony at sea and the releasing of fish, which were to take place at Kanesaki fishing port with Their Majesties in attendance, were canceled due to inclement weather.

In November, Their Majesties took a three-day trip to the islands of Yakushima, Oki-no-erabu-jima, and Yoron-jima in Kagoshima Prefecture. On the second day, They made a day trip from Oki-no-erabu-jima to Yoron-jima, where They viewed Yurigahama, a sandbar that appears off the island’s coast, and the Yoron Jugoya Dance, which has been designated as an important intangible folk cultural property of Japan. On the final day, which was spent on Oki-no-erabu-jima, Their Majesties observed the cultivation of Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum), a plant endemic to the island, at the floriculture field in the town of China-cho, and brown sugar production by the children of Kunigami Elementary School in the town of Wadomari-cho. The three-day trip covered a total distance of 3,273 kilometres.

In the same month, at the end of November, Their Majesties accompanied His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, who was visiting Japan as a state guest, and Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra to the cities of Tsuchiura and Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. In Tsuchiura They were welcomed by a choir performance by elementary school children and Kijo Daiko drumming by the citizens. In Tsukuba, They visited the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s Tsukuba Space Centre and toured the facilities. In March, Their Majesties made a three-day trip to Okinawa Prefecture. After paying Their respects at the Okinawa Prefecture Peace Memorial Hall, They laid flowers and prayed at the National War Dead Peace Mausoleum. On the second day They took a day trip from the main island of Okinawa to Yonaguni-jima island, where They saw the Yonaguni horse, an endangered Japanese breed of small horses native to Yonaguni-jima island, and viewed Yonaguni-san, one of the world’s largest moths, and bo odori (stick dance), a traditional dance. They also visited the Yonaguni-cho fisheries cooperative and, at Irizaki, saw Japan’s westernmost monument. On the final day, Their Majesties watched a karate demonstration at the Okinawa Karate Kaikan.

On the occasion of the 69th National Arbor Day Festival held in June in Minami-soma, Fukushima Prefecture, in addition to viewing the status of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake and paying Their respects at a monument to the victims, Their Majesties visited a fisheries cooperative in Soma and the Yuji Koseki Memorial Hall. The total distance by car over the three-day trip came to 280 kilometres, and on the third day, Her Majesty developed a fever owing to the strain of long-distance travel. However, in spite of a fever in the morning, Her Majesty completed the entire itinerary as scheduled.

In August, Their Majesties visited Hokkaido for three days. On Their first day They visited a farm where mentally disabled persons work. On the second day, They made a day trip to visit the island of Rishiri-to, where They viewed a sea urchin seed production centre and Otatomari Swamp, strolled along the island’s Futatsuishi Beach and on the final day, Their Majesties attended a ceremony celebrating the 150th anniversary of the naming of Hokkaido and later viewed the traditional cultures of the Ainu people and the Hadrosaurid dinosaur skeleton (nicknamed the “Mukawaryu”). With this visit to Rishiri-to, Their Majesties have now visited 55 of Japan’s remote islands. In September, Their Majesties traveled to Fukui Prefecture for the 73rd National Sports Festival. After visiting the Museum of Education of Fukui Prefecture, They viewed the opening performances and attended the opening ceremony of the festival as scheduled. However, as a major Typhoon No. 24 (Typhoon Trami) was approaching, and there was a possibility of airplanes being grounded the next day, September 30, the scheduled day of Their return, and to ensure that local governments and police are able to respond to the impending disaster, Their Majesties decided that there was no choice but to cancel subsequent plans, including attending a meeting with festival officers and viewing the fencing event, and returned to Tokyo one day earlier.

During the past year, Their Majesties made official and private regional visits to 27 cities and 8 towns in 12 prefectures, not including Their visits for rest and recuperation to the Imperial Villas and the towns of Karuizawa and Kusatsu.

In and around Tokyo, as part of Her official duties, Her Majesty, together with His Majesty the Emperor, attended the Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead, the award ceremony for the International Prize for Biology, the presentation ceremony and banquet for the Japan Prize, the award ceremony and reception for the MIDORI Prize, and the award ceremonies for the Japan Art Academy Award and the Japan Academy Prize, as They do every year. Their other visits included ceremonies to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the enforcement of the Local Autonomy Law, the completion of the plaza in front of Tokyo Station on the Marunouchi side, the 70th anniversary of the Municipal Fire Services, and the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Japan Coast Guard, as well as the opening ceremony and reception of the general assembly of the 68th International Academy for Production Engineering, which is an international conference, and a gathering to commemorate both the 800th anniversary of the founding of the University of Salamanca and the 20th anniversary of the founding of the Association of the University of Salamanca in Japan. With His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf and Her Majesty Queen Silvia of the Kingdom of Sweden, who were visiting Japan as official guests, They viewed “The Art of Natural Science in Sweden—Treasures from Uppsala University,” a special exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Sweden. Their Majesties also viewed a photography exhibition held at the Embassy of Brazil in Tokyo to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Their first visit to Brazil and the “NITTEN The Japan Fine Arts Exhibition: The 4th Reorganized New NITTEN.” They attended the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra’s New Year concert commemorating the 100th anniversary of the restoration of Polish independence, Classic Aid, a charity concert to support the recovery efforts from the Great East Japan Earthquake, a charity concert for children with cancer, and a concert by the Vietnam National Symphony Orchestra commemorating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Viet Nam. In addition, Their Majesties visited Inokashira Park, located on land given to the city of Tokyo by the Imperial Household Agency, which was celebrating its centenary. During the Week of Disabled Persons, Their Majesties visited the Ochiai Centre of Isetan Mitsukoshi Soleil, Co., Ltd. These official visits in and around Tokyo totaled 44 occasions. As this was the final festival of the Heisei era, Their Majesties were to attend together the 20 th Handicapped Persons Nippon Taiko Festival, an event Her Majesty had attended on Her own every five years. However, as Her Majesty came down with symptoms of a cold accompanied by coughing, the Emperor attended the event on His own without Her Majesty.

Her Majesty also made 23 official visits on Her own, including the annual meeting of the Japanese Red Cross Society, which She attended as its Honorary President. Other events included a ceremony to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Japanese Nursing Association, a celebration to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society, the closing reception of the 64th Zonta International Convention, and a photography exhibition commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Bethel Institute of Germany. She visited the National Centre for Child Health and Development’s Momiji House, a short-stay medical care facility for seriously ill children and their families, viewed the craft exhibit of Asahide Gakuen, a school for children with special needs, and attended charity concerts to support the recovery efforts from the Great East Japan Earthquake. She also attended concerts by music college graduates and by Shichikukai, dedicated to preserving gagaku music (Japanese imperial court music), held annually at the Toka Gakudo concert hall in the Imperial Palace grounds.

At the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Residence, Their Majesties met with people who have made contributions to society through their efforts in such fields as culture, welfare, industry, international cooperation, academia, and the arts. These included recipients of the Order of Culture and Persons of Cultural Merit, recipients of various ministers’ awards, winners of the Emperor’s Prize at the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Festival, recipients of the National Personnel Authority President Award, persons newly recognized for maintaining Japan’s important intangible cultural properties, recipients of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship, which was established in commemoration of Their Majesties’ wedding in 1959, mainly by Americans of Japanese ancestry in Hawaii to support exchange students in Japan and Hawaii, representatives of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers returning from their overseas posts, representatives of the Senior Overseas Volunteers and the youth and senior Volunteers for Nikkei Communities, members of the Japan Academy and the Japan Art Academy, the president of the Japanese Red Cross Society, and the rector of the University of Salamanca. Ever since Their Majesties visited Spain in 1994, the rectors of the University of Salamanca have visited the Imperial Palace every time they come to Japan. As this year was the 30th anniversary of “The sea is longing for the forest” movement, the founder of the movement Mr. Shigeatsu Hatakeyama, the oyster farmer of Kesennuma who has been planting broad-leaved trees upstream of rivers which flow into the ocean in order to enrich the fishing ground, was invited to the Imperial Residence as was Mr. Yoshiomi Tamai, for working over the years to help children who have lost their parents in traffic accidents to get scholarships to continue studying. Their Majesties commended them and thanked them for their work.

On Her own, Her Majesty heard reports from the president of the Japan Nursing Association, the president of the Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society, and the chair of the 2018 Zonta International Convention Committee, prior to attending the events of those organizations. She received in audience the awardees of the annual “Nemunoki" (Silk Tree) Award, funded by the royalties donated by Her Majesty from the song “Lullaby under the Silk Tree,” a lyric poem She wrote in Her high school days. The Award is given to those involved in helping children and adults with severe mental and physical disabilities. She also met the president of Verlag Herder, the German publishing house which published Her collection of waka poems in German under the title Nur eine kleine Maulbeere. Aber sie wog schwer (original title: Sono hitotsubu ni omomi no arite), and the director of the International Youth Library in Munich, which She visited on the occasion of Their Majesties’ visit to Germany in September 1993. These audiences totaled 41 occasions. In addition, Her Majesty, either together with His Majesty or on Her own, heard lectures and reports on 52 occasions.

With regard to Japan’s relations with other countries, Her Majesty, together with His Majesty, welcomed as state guests to Japan His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg last November and His Excellency President Tran Dai Quang of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam and Madam Nguyen Thi Hien in May this year. In each instance Their Majesties attended the welcoming ceremony, had a meeting, and hosted a banquet at the Palace for the guests, and called on them at the Akasaka Detached Palace, the State Guest House where they were staying, and bade them farewell before their departure from Japan. During the state guests’ stay, Their Majesties accompanied His Royal Highness Grand Duke Henri and Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra to the cities of Tsuchiura and Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture. They also attended, together with the President and First Lady of Viet Nam, a reception commemorating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Viet Nam. As for guests other than state guests, They met with His Excellency President Rodrigo Roa Duterte of the Philippines and Ms. Cielito Salvador Avanceña, the Honourable President Donald J. Trump and the First Lady of the United States, His Excellency President Hery Rajaonarimampianina and the First Lady of Madagascar, His Excellency President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the First Lady of Germany, His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena and the First Lady of Sri Lanka, and His Excellency President Lenín Moreno Garcés and the First Lady of Ecuador. They also received in audience the President of the Assembly of Mozambique and her spouse, the President of the Federal Senate of Brazil and his spouse, the Prime Minister of Samoa and his spouse, and the President of the National Assembly of the French Republic and his spouse.

At the Imperial Residence, Their Majesties hosted a luncheon for Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Walailak of Thailand, hosted a dinner for Their Majesties King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden, and held teas for Her Royal Highness Princess Ashi Sonam Dechen Wangchuck of Bhutan and Her Royal Highness Princess Benedikte of Denmark. Their Majesties also invited to tea at the Imperial Palace the national leaders, their spouses, and others attending the 8th Pacific Islands Leaders Meeting.

With regard to the diplomatic corps serving in Tokyo, Their Majesties invited to tea the newly appointed ambassadors and their spouses, representing 39 countries, and to luncheon the ambassadors and their spouses who have been in Japan for three years or longer, representing 11 countries and one organization, as well as granting farewell audiences to the ambassadors and their spouses from 12 countries upon completion of their assignments. This year Their Majesties invited a total of 110 ambassadors and their spouses from 62 countries and one organization. Her Majesty joined His Majesty in meeting Japanese ambassadors and their spouses departing for overseas posts in 37 countries and two organizations. They also invited to tea the ambassadors and their spouses returning to Japan from 30 countries and one organization and heard accounts of their experiences in those countries.

This year, the annual Imperial sericulture work began in May, and Her Majesty made a total of 19 visits to the related places, including the mulberry fields on the Palace grounds, where She picks the leaves to feed the silkworms, the enclosure for the wild silkworms where She breeds and harvests them, and the Imperial Cocoonery, where She tends to and harvests the koishimaru silkworm cocoons. Her Majesty makes straw cocooning frames, spins the cocoons, harvests the cocoons, and trims them. This year’s yield of cocoons amounted to 161.4 kilograms. The koishimaru, which Her Majesty cultivates, is a purely domestic silkworm and is considered optimal for restoring ancient silk textiles. At the request of the Office of the Shosoin Treasure House, Her Majesty increased the production of koishimaru cocoons to be used in creating replicas of various ancient textile items and presented those cocoons to the Shosoin Treasure House. This year, She presented the cocoons for the production of replica strings for the “five-stringed biwa lute of shitan with mother-of-pearl inlay,” one of the treasures of the Shosoin.

Although the pain caused by cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and other conditions have rendered it increasingly difficult for Her Majesty to observe the ritual ceremonies at the Imperial Palace, She has continued, even after entering Her eighties, to attend the Spring and Autumn Ceremonies of Korei-sai and Shinden-sai at Koreiden and Shinden, respectively, and the Annual Ceremony of Emperor Showa and the Annual Ceremony of Empress Kojun at Koreiden, in keeping with tradition. However, the court physician came to the conclusion that it would be too much of a strain for Her Majesty to go up on Her knees to the raised floor of the inner temple of Kashiko Dokoro, where only Their Majesties are allowed to go, especially when attending the Spring and Autumn Ceremonies of Korei-sai and Shinden-sai. Therefore, during these ceremonies this year, as with the other ritual ceremonies in which She does not take part, Her Majesty offered prayers at the Imperial Residence, where She remained for the duration of the ceremonies.

In July, the informal engagement of Her Imperial Highness Princess Ayako was announced, and Their Imperial Highnesses Princess Takamado and Princess Ayako visited the Imperial Palace to call on Their Majesties. As His Majesty the Emperor was resting after having experienced dizziness and nausea caused by cerebral anemia early that morning, Her Majesty met the princesses on Her own and conveyed His Majesty’s congratulations on His behalf.

As Their Majesties wish to complete all of Their duties until His Majesty’s abdication on April 30, 2019, notwithstanding Their advancing years, They are particularly mindful of managing Their health. They strive to maintain Their health by leading a well-regulated life, getting up at 6:00 every morning, taking a daily stroll together in and around the Imperial Residence, and exercising regularly. While Her Majesty now has fewer opportunities to play tennis for a brief time with His Majesty, She continues to enjoy heading for Higashi Gyoen, the East Gardens, on Sunday mornings in His Majesty’s car with His Majesty at the wheel. From the top of Honmaru, the site of the Edo Castle’s inner citadel, She enjoys catching a glimpse, through the trees, of people jogging or cycling around the palace grounds. In between Her official duties, She finds time to read and practice the piano from time to time. At the end of August, as in the past, She took part in the annual Kusatsu International Summer Music Academy, though it was a short stay of only one full day, and studied ensemble performance by playing with the musicians who were participating as instructors.