Empress Masako turned 60 on Saturday as she expressed her deep gratitude to all those who have helped her and hope that she can take a step forward with a new spirit and continue making efforts as she moves forward in her life.
Empress Masako discussed natural disasters that have occurred since she married Emperor Naruhito, including the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake in and around Kobe, the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Tohoku and the 2016 temblors in Kumamoto Prefecture.
"How impressed I was by the way people joined forces and tried to overcome the hardships they faced," the Empress said in a written comment released by the Imperial Household Agency.