Tokyo, Oct. 20 (Jiji Press)–Japanese Empress Emerita Michiko turned 92 on Tuesday, enjoying a peaceful life with her husband, Emperor Emeritus Akihito, also 92. Her advanced age has caused a decline in her physical strength and made her get tired more frequently than before, which has led her to go on shorter walks. Still, there is no major change in the Empress Emerita’s overall health condition. Despite spending less time in the public eye, the Empress Emerita, along with the Emperor Emeritus and other members of the Imperial Family, appeared before the general public in January this year for New Year’s greetings at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In May, she conversed with members of the public while taking a stroll during her visit to the Hayama Imperial Villa in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Meanwhile, Empress Emerita Michiko, mother of Emperor Naruhito, canceled her visit to the Ryogoku Kokugikan hall in the Japanese capital to watch a grand sumo tournament in the same month as she showed some signs of fatigue. Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko called off their visits to the Nasu Imperial Villa in Tochigi Prefecture, eastern Japan, and to the town of Karuizawa in the central prefecture of Nagano this summer, out of concern over the impact of the torrid heat on the Empress Emerita’s physical condition. According to aides, the Empress Emerita keeps up with current events by reading newspapers and watching television news at the couple’s residence located in the Akasaka Estate in Tokyo’s Minato Ward. She is concerned about the wellbeing of people who were affected by a string of natural disasters in the country, including the July 28 powerful earthquake in the southwestern prefecture of Kumamoto. She has been receiving letters, books and other items from people with whom she has interacted over the years. In spring this year, old friends played music for Empress Emerita Michiko at her residence. The Empress Emerita herself now spends less time playing the piano due to the effects of treatment following her breast cancer surgery in 2019, but she tickles the ivories for a while occasionally at night. Hoping to maintain her muscle strength, the Empress Emerita, together with the Emperor Emeritus, takes walks at or in the garden of their residence and in the Akasaka Estate, and also does light exercise. The couple spend time watching TV programs on nature, history and the daily lives of people in Japan and other countries during the daytime, and programs on music and international sports matches at night. The Empress Emerita’s levels of brain natriuretic peptide, or BNP, an indicator for heart failure diagnosis, remain above normal, causing her to develop a minor fever sometimes in the afternoon. Meanwhile, there has been no more effect from a thighbone fracture that she had two years ago. Late last year, Empress Emerita Michiko received a silk fabric made from cocoons of silkworms raised by students of a high school in the town of Tsubata, Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan. Students at the school spent 10 years reviving sericulture after being inspired by the fact that Empress Emerita Michiko raised her own silkworms at the Imperial Palace during her days as Empress. Upon learning about this episode, the Empress Emerita was surprised to realize that her efforts unexpectedly had led to another project and was impressed by the years of dedication by the school’s students, according to aides. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
