Empress, turning 74, expresses joy over Aiko's school debut

Monday 20th October, 07:07 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

zaichik at 10:18 AM JST - 20th October

Nicely tactful comments from the Empress.
Schoolboyerror at 11:20 AM JST - 20th October

What a very sad life - reciting inane comments (which say absolutely nothing) composed beforehand by the IHA to go through the facade of answering reporters' questions, also composed beforehand by the IHA.
rezzoro at 11:29 AM JST - 20th October

Does Japan really needs the symbol of the Emperor even in the 21st century? A symbol of defeat in WWII, a symbol of horrific rape, murder and genocide cuased to neighboring countries?
PASHA_51 at 02:28 PM JST - 20th October

Wish happay and healthy life to the couple.
tzveteli at 03:45 PM JST - 20th October

I do agree with rezzoro.Does anyone know how much does it cost the "ordinary people" the emperor family and all the stuff around them?
Betting at 04:22 PM JST - 20th October

Are the Emperor and Empress truly relevant in today's society? Maybe we compare them with Britain's royals too often, but I rarely see the Japanese royals functioning in some meaningful manner here.

All of the Queen's sons have served in the military, and by doing so have shown that they are prepared to serve their country the same as others. During WW2 many royals served in the military. Female members are doing great work for charity (I'm not a keen fan of Diana, but she certainly did some fantastic charity work).

The royals in Japan, to my knowledge, mainly attend high society events and make nice airy fairy speeches hoping for world peace and praying for their grandchildren's happiness.
badge123 at 04:37 PM JST - 20th October

Are royal families relevant in any democratic society. I can certainly understand the republicanism point of view.
shayouzoku at 05:48 PM JST - 20th October

I wonder how one gets a job with the IHA. Do they put out ads on Monster.com like "Interested in controlling the lives of a royal family? Inquire within!" They're like the mysterious puppetmasters of the Imperial family. You'd think the Emperor could just fire them all and do whatever he wants... he is the EMPEROR after all.
rjd_jr at 10:12 PM JST - 20th October

Happy birthday and best wishes for the family!
tokyofun1 at 10:36 PM JST - 20th October

who REALLY cares
usaexpat at 12:13 AM JST - 21st October

Well the empress for all her public funding, pomp and pretense sounds like just another proud grandmother. That's good, it's nice to see the human side of the royal class. As blvtzpk said I too hate the use of the term "debut" somehow makes me want to churl.
OgieDoggie at 01:47 AM JST - 21st October

She's a 74 year old Grandmother who is proud of her granddaugther..I wish the media would give her a break and let her be a happy Grandmother.
michiko at 05:07 AM JST - 21st October

Happy birthday to Her Majesty Empress Michiko and Wish all the best and healthy to the Imperial Couple. The Empress is very elegance lady.I have meet the Her Majesty the Empress in Londen.

Michiko.
GlowingStar at 08:23 PM JST - 24th October

Have a very wonderful birthday to the our majesty empress Michiko. She has a pure heart who really loves her people. I admire her a lot too. She is a gracious, elegant empress and the other half brilliant soul of the land of the rising sun. Anyway, Emperors and Empresses is still important in Japan because they are the human and spirit evidences of our past cradle of culture and existence. You have to research land of MU or the lemuria, believe to be they are the descendants of emperor JIM-MU WHICH MU is originated from LEMURIA, the cradle of human existence.
Mayuki at 01:25 AM JST - 27th October

I don't know if it is the translations used in this report or if ths is the way the imperial family really speaks, but it seems dysfunctional. "If we could continue to see them as much as our schedules permit it would make us truly happy." They live in the same city! Judging by the remarks quoted here, they seem like robots. And as for the imperial family being the decendants of "the cradle of existence", whatever that means, that somebody can still entertain such an idea in 2008 is very unsettling.