Ahead of his abdication next year, Empress Michiko reflected on the path her husband Emperor Akihito has followed in a poem recited Friday at the annual New Year Poetry Reading ceremony at the Imperial Palace.
This year's theme for the waka (poems) was go, which means word in Japanese.
In her poem, the Empress described how the Emperor has devoted himself over the years to pursuing his life as symbol of the state, fulfilling his many responsibilities quietly.