Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Saturday visited victims of the Oct. 23 earthquakes in Niigata Prefecture and viewed damage from the powerful temblors, offering words of encouragement to quake survivors.
Many of the survivors said they felt heartened by the couple's visit.
In the city of Nagaoka, which was one of the worst-hit areas, the Imperial Couple visited Ote High School where some residents from Yamokoshi are being sheltered after all of the village's residents were evacuated due to the quakes.