In the aftermath of the deadly typhoon last weekend, the Cabinet on Friday approved the postponement of Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement parade until Nov. 10.
However, the enthronement ceremony and banquet will be held as planned on Tuesday.
The parade, which will wind about 5 km from the Imperial Palace to the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo, was originally planned to take place next Tuesday. It was postponed after the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday that Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako had expressed their heartfelt wishes that the lives of those in the typhoon-hit areas return to normal soon.
With rescue and relief efforts involving the police, firefighters and the Self-Defense Forces ongoing, the government apparently judged that the parade, to be held under tight security, should be postponed.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters during visits to Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures on Thursday that the government was considering pushing back the schedule for the parade. Both prefectures were hit hard by Typhoon Hagibis, which caused widespread flooding and damage to infrastructure lifelines.
Dignitaries from over 190 countries and international organizations will attend the enthronement ceremony for the emperor, who ascended the throne on May 1 following the rare abdication of his father, former Emperor Akihito, the previous day.
The Imperial Couple will ride a convertible sedan during the roughly 30-minute parade on Nov. 10, which will precede the Daijosai offering ceremony scheduled to take place form Nov. 14 to 15.
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