Japan Opens New Residence for Emperor
About 200 dignitaries attended a traditional Shinto ceremony Tuesday to mark the formal opening of a new $45-million residence on the grounds of the Imperial Palace in central Tokyo. The two-story residence, built at taxpayers’ expense, contains private quarters, office space and a reception area.
Emperor Akihito and his wife, Empress Michiko, who did not attend Tuesday’s ceremony, are to move from the nearby Akasaka Palace to their new home by December, a palace spokesman said.
The building’s semicircular gabled roof is covered in copper and its walls are decorated with cream tiling designed to resemble a flock of wild geese in flight. Its 62 rooms are carpeted in beige or soft tones.
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