As Emperor Naruhito ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne on Wednesday, people on the streets of Japan expressed hope that the new emperor will continue the legacy shaped by his father and that the new era would maintain the peace seen during the Heisei Era.
Hundreds of people — including families, tourists and journalists, both foreign and domestic — descended on the plaza outside the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Wednesday morning. Masayo Kanagawa, a 57-year-old office worker from Tokyo, was outside the palace with her relative Rie Kanagawa. They said they were visiting the palace to celebrate "a critical juncture" in history.
Kanagawa said she was happy to see a swearing-in of a new emperor that is not due to the death of the previous monarch, adding that she hopes to see Emperor Naruhito play an active role for the people and the country.