Emperor makes final New Year’s appearance

Akihito abdicationJapan Emperor Akihito makes his last New Year's appearance Wednesday, 2 January 2019, before turning over the throne to his son.

Posted by Daily Tribune on Tuesday, 1 January 2019

TOKYO — Japanese Emperor Akihito has waved to throngs of well-wishers eager to see the final New Year’s appearance in his reign.

He told the crowd Wednesday at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo: “I am truly happy to celebrate the New Year with all of you under such cloudless skies.”

Akihito will abdicate on April 30 and his son will succeed him.

Akihito, who inherited the Chrysanthemum Throne from wartime emperor Hirohito, has appeared each year to wish peace for the nation with his wife Empress Michiko and other family members.

Japanese media reported the attendance at nearly 60,000 people as of late morning, many of them waving Japanese flags.