Tokyo in lockdown as emperor proclaims enthronement

Oct 22, 2019 | News On Japan

Oct 22, 2019 (Nikkei) - Japan's Emperor Naruhito will formally declare his accession to the throne on Tuesday in front of 2,000 guests from 180 countries, taking the latest step in the imperial transition from his father.

Naruhito ascended to the throne on May 1 after his father, now the Emperor Emeritus Akihito, stepped down. He will be clad in traditional clothing reserved for the emperor as he delivers a speech from a 6.5-meter-high canopied throne. He will be accompanied by Empress Masako.

A celebratory parade scheduled to follow was postponed to Nov. 10 as the government focuses on its response to the damage caused by Typhoon Hagibis earlier this month.

Crown Prince Akishino as well as other imperial family members will join foreign guests at the event, which will begin at 1 p.m. Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, who have retired from public duties, will not.

The Ground Self-Defense Force will fire a gun salute as part of the ceremony.

Later that night, a court banquet will be held for the heads of Japan's government branches, as well as foreign dignitaries. The royal couples from the Netherlands and Spain, Prince Charles of the U.K., U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will be among the attendees.

Checkpoints have been set up throughout Tokyo in preparation for the royal events, with up to 26,000 police officers deployed to ensure security.

Foreign dignitaries began flying in to Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports on Monday. Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways canceled a combined 36 flights that day to prevent overcrowding at the airports, and are planning a similar move on Thursday, when many guests are planning to leave.

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