The emperor and empress wave to well-wishers on Friday.

Emperor offers New Year's greetings to well-wishers at palace

Friday 02nd January, 01:21 PM JST

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11 Comments

plasticmonkey at 01:30 PM JST - 2nd January

I hope this year will be a good year for all of you, as much as is possible.

This is sure to be included among the greatest speeches ever made.
shiuu at 01:40 PM JST - 2nd January

Japanese Emperor:

I am concerned that there may be many people who are having problems at the beginning of the New Year due to the severe economic conditions, and that's why I'm willing to give back a tiny bit of the taxpayer money I've been sponging off of you for these past 75 years ...

Oh, wait. He didn't really say that last part.

But I did like the caveat at the end of this rousing greeting:

"I hope this year will be a good year for all of you as much as possible."

Ha. Ha. Ha. "... as much as possible." Whoever said Japanese Emperors don't have a sense of humor?
PASHA_51 at 02:26 PM JST - 2nd January

It is really nice that the Royal Couple greeted their subjects with smile and prayer. Long live the Emperor.
anshin at 02:29 PM JST - 2nd January

‘‘I hope as much as possible this year will be a good year for all of you." I believe this is what he said or meant. Sometimes, the intended meaning is lost in translation. Happy New Year to all.
lazyman0909 at 05:34 PM JST - 2nd January

Great speech
Probably took his staff 6 months to write.
Happy New Year
wanderlust at 05:51 PM JST - 2nd January

It is a pity he has to hide behind a couple of inches of bulletproof glass to greet his subjects. Can it be that there are some who do not love him? Or wish to test his divinity?
Dogdog at 06:01 PM JST - 2nd January

Great speech, Probably took his staff 6 months to write.

Another great example of Japanese kaisen..........
sharky1 at 07:13 PM JST - 2nd January

Say...how much is the emperor and his family getting paid by our tax dollars to basically do nothing?
bobbafett at 07:14 PM JST - 2nd January

Yo Akihito, give them some if your vast vast vast cash reserves.
seesaw at 08:55 PM JST - 2nd January

yea! give those homeless at Hibiya Park some of your money...please!!!
shiuu at 10:51 PM JST - 2nd January

I sort of look forward to old age so I can say whatever I want without anyone being able to do anything about it. With that in mind, if I were the Emperor, I'd use the occasion to tell it like it is:

"Thanks for another year of taxpayer funded leisure, Suckers."