Emperor Akihito canceled his attendance at a ritual ceremony scheduled for Monday morning at the Imperial Palace due to a mild fever, the Imperial Household Agency said.
The 83-year-old Emperor had received a flu shot over the weekend. The inoculation may have contributed to the fever, an agency official said, adding that the decision to cancel was made to be "on the safe side."
The fever was easing as of Monday and the Emperor has shown no sign of a cold or other symptoms, according to the agency.
The ceremony was to have taken place ahead of his trip to an Imperial villa in Hayama, Kanagawa Prefecture, with Empress Michiko in the afternoon.
