Japan Emperor Naruhito, Princess Aiko Watch Univ. Baseball Game

Tokyo, May 31 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Emperor Naruhito and his daughter, Princess Aiko, watched a university baseball game at the Meiji Jingu Stadium in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward on Sunday. They watched a game between Waseda University and Keio University in the spring tournament of the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League, which is made up of six major universities in the Japanese capital. It was the first time in 32 years that a Japanese emperor has viewed a game of the league live. Emperor Naruhito last watched a Tokyo Big6 Baseball League game in October 1968, when he was Prince Hiro and an elementary school student, according to the Imperial Household Agency. This was the first such experience for Princess Aiko. The Tokyo Big6 Baseball League had invited them to visit the stadium to watch a game live, on the occasion of its 100th anniversary last year. Emperor Naruhito’s grandfather, Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa, watched a baseball game of the Tokyo university league twice, in 1929 and 1950. The current Emperor’s father, Emperor Akihito, now holding the title of Emperor Emeritus, did so once, in 1994. Sunday’s game ended in a 5-4 walk-off victory for Waseda. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]