On the occasion of his 79th birthday, Emperor Akihito reflected on the past year and revealed that he decided to undergo heart bypass surgery in February so that he could attend the ceremony to commemorate the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake the following month, on the first anniversary of the catastrophe.
"I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the concern shown me by the people when I underwent heart surgery," the Emperor said, voicing concern for those who are unable to return to their homes because of radioactive fallout from the Fukushima nuclear crisis, and for Tohoku residents who are spending their second year in temporary housing.
The Emperor also expressed regret that in addition to the more than 18,000 people who were killed by the March 2011 calamities or remain officially listed as missing, in excess of 2,000 disaster-related deaths have been reported since then.