Final appearance

Japan's Emperor Akihito waves to well-wishers from the bullet-proofed balcony during his New Year's public appearance with his family members at Imperial Palace in Tokyo Wednesday, Jan. 2, 2019. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO — Japanese Emperor Akihito waved to throngs of well-wishers eager to see the final New Year’s appearance of his reign Wednesday just months before the 85-year-old royal abdicates.

“I am truly happy to celebrate the New Year with all of you under such cloudless skies,” he told the crowd from a balcony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Akihito made annual New Year’s appearances alongside his wife Empress Michiko and other family members to wish peace for the nation. He had five appearances Wednesday. Japanese media reported more than 90,000 people had gathered by early afternoon, a record pace.

Many waved Japanese flags and had waited from early in the morning.

Akihito succeeded his father, wartime Emperor Hirohito, in 1989 and will abdicate on 30 April with his elder son ascending to the Chrysanthemum Throne.