70,500 Cheer Hirohito as He Gives Greeting
Emperor Hirohito, the world’s longest reigning monarch, greeted 70,500 flag-waving subjects behind bulletproof glass today in an annual New Year’s appearance at the Imperial Palace.
Imperial Household officials said the crowds were about half what they were last Jan. 2, one of two days a year when the gates of the palace are opened to allow the public to meet their sovereign.
Last year, 137,300 people trooped through the gates to see the emperor on the 60th anniversary of his momentous reign, which has seen Japan move from militarist menace to economic superpower.
Imperial Household officials attributed this year’s drop in numbers to a cutback in the emperor’s scheduled appearances and to a cold snap.
The 85-year-old monarch, looking hale and ramrod straight, smiled and bade the well-wishers a happy new year. He was flanked by his son and heir, Crown Prince Akihito, grandson Prince Hiro and daughter-in-law Crown Princess Michiko.
“Happy New Year. I’m glad to see you all well,” Hirohito said.
“I hope this year is a good year,” he added to the cheers of the crowd.
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