Japanese Empress Partly Regains Power of Speech
Reuters
TOKYO —
Empress Michiko has partially recovered the power of speech, seven weeks after being struck with a mystery ailment, the Japanese imperial palace said today.
According to a Kyodo news agency report, palace officials said Michiko broke her silence last Tuesday, whispering “Heika” (Your Majesty) to Emperor Akihito.
After Michiko’s collapse in October, she regained consciousness within hours and, apart from being speechless, appeared to have suffered no lasting ill effects.
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