Ailing Hirohito’s Health Remains Precarious

Thousands of Japanese waited in the rain outside the Imperial Palace today to pray for Emperor Hirohito, but the health of the world’s oldest monarch remained precarious.

Imperial officials said the 87-year-old emperor continued to hemorrhage and his condition remained serious, although his temperature declined from the dangerous level of Saturday.

“It appears that his internal bleeding is continuing,” Imperial Household Agency spokesman Kenji Maeda told reporters. He said Hirohito’s temperature was 98.3, compared to his normal body temperature of about 95.9.

Thousands of people endured a morning rain to wait outside the palace in central Tokyo, praying for the emperor’s health and signing get-well registries.

On Saturday, numerous imperial relatives arrived after the palace announced that the monarch’s temperature was rising rapidly. By mid-afternoon it hit 102.6 degrees, the highest reading since Hirohito vomited blood after an intestinal hemorrhage late Monday.

Court physicians gave the emperor 1.28 pints of blood Saturday after finding signs of further intestinal bleeding. They gave him 0.85 pints Friday, bringing the total since Monday to 4.68 pints.

Aside from two small ice cubes Thursday, Hirohito has been unable to take food and continues to receive intravenous treatment.

For the first time since the crisis began, palace officials acknowledged that the emperor’s condition is serious.

Kyodo News Service and the Asahi Shimbun, Japan’s second-largest newspaper, reported that Hirohito is suffering from cancer of the upper intestine, in the area where the duodenum and pancreas meet. Asahi said the cancer may have spread to the pancreas.

The palace lodged protests with Asahi and Kyodo over their reports but issued no denials.

“The position of the Imperial Household Agency is not to allow such (speculation) while the emperor is still conscious and fighting his illness,” Maeda said.

Crown Prince Akihito, who assumed the full roster of imperial duties Thursday, is continuing his daily shuttles to his father’s palace from his nearby residence.

Under the constitution, the emperor has no real power but signs documents already approved by the government and serves as a symbol of Japan.

Hirohito was also visited by Prince Mikasa, his younger brother; princesses Chichibu and Takamatsu, his widowed sisters-in-law, and Prince Hitachi, his second son.

Maeda said they spoke briefly with the emperor.

Prince Aya, Akihito’s son, planned to interrupt his studies at Britain’s Oxford University to return to Japan, the palace said.

The Tokyo Stock Exchange’s main index fell during Saturday’s half-day trading session over concern about Hirohito, analysts said.