Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emeritus Michiko are expected to join other members of the imperial family to greet New Year’s greetings, Imperial Household Agency sources said on Tuesday.
If the couple attends the ceremony, in which Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will offer greetings at the Imperial Palace on January 2, it would be the first public appearance along with the Emperor and Empress since the imperial succession in earlier this year.
The couple has retired from all public activities since the Emeritus Emeritus became the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in about 200 years on April 30, and his eldest son succeeded him the next day.
The former emperor and the current one have not appeared together on public occasions since the succession, to avoid the perception that having the two together creates a double imperial authority.
When Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako greeted some 140,000 benefactors in May after their enthronement, Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emeritus did not participate.
For the upcoming New Year’s greetings, the Emperor and Empress will appear before the public along with other members of the imperial family five times throughout the day, with the Emperor delivering a speech.
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