NEWSWORTHY
Japan's 10-day holiday for Imperial handover stirs concern among traders and investors
To mark the ascension of the new Emperor, the government has declared an unprecedented 10-day Golden Week holiday from late April to early May, worrying investors who say a market shutdown could cause disruption and unsettle the yen. With Crown Prince Naruhito scheduled to be ...
Japan Patent Office says trademark registration of era names will be banned from May
The Japan Patent Office revised its screening criteria Wednesday to prevent all era names from being registered as trademarks. The amendment came as the country prepares for the change in May of the current era name following the abdication of Emperor Akihito on April 30. Under ...
German Chancellor Angela Merkel to visit Japan in early February
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will make a two-day visit to Japan early next month for talks with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the Japanese government said Friday. During her visit from Feb. 4, Merkel is also expected to meet with Emperor Akihito, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide ...
Emperor and Empress mourn for civilian sailors slain during WWII
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko mourned on Monday tens of thousands of civilian mariners who lost their lives in attacks by the Allied powers during World War II. The Emperor, who will abdicate in April, and his wife prayed for peace and offered a bouquet ...
Female Imperial family members to be barred from key succession rite in line with Japanese law
The government will allow female Cabinet ministers to participate in the rite on the grounds that they would be attending as observers.
In the final annual New Year's Poetry Reading Ceremony before his abdication, Emperor Akihito reflected Wednesday on sunflowers, which have become associated with a major earthquake in the nation. The choice of topic has been said to indicate his ongoing commitment those affected by the ...
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga has cited information system updates as a reason for the scheduled early announcement of the name of the nation's new Imperial era. "Preparations have been in progress, such as changes to information systems in the public and private sectors, but ...
Ahead of abdication, Emperor Akihito commemorates 30th anniversary of his father's death
Emperor Akihito, who is set to abdicate on April 30, commemorated on Monday the 30th anniversary of the death of his father, Emperor Showa, at his tomb in Tokyo. Emperor Akihito had expressed his desire to host the ceremony at the Musashino Mausoleum in Hachioji ...
Name of Japan's next Imperial era to be announced April 1, Abe confirms
Speaking at the Grand Shrines of Ise, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe says the tradition of revealing the name after the era starts will be skipped to minimize the public impact.
Emperor Akihito greets well-wishers in final New Year's address
Emperor Akihito spoke of his hopes for world peace in the final New Year’s address of his reign, with a record 154,800 well-wishers visiting the Imperial Palace on Wednesday.
New era approaches, but Japan's dwindling Imperial line clouds future
With the first Imperial abdication in about 200 years looming, Japan has yet to address concerns about the future of the Imperial line and the shortage of royals performing official duties.
Prince Akishino proposed using existing hall to cut costs of key Imperial succession rite in 2016
Prince Akishino, the younger son of Emperor Akihito, in 2016 proposed cutting the cost of a key Shinto-linked Imperial succession ritual by using an existing hall rather than constructing a new one, Imperial Household Agency sources said Tuesday. The prince shared the idea with then ...
