Society

Japan's former Empress Michiko turns 86

Oct 20 (Kyodo) - Former Empress Michiko turned 86 on Tuesday, marking her birthday amid the coronavirus pandemic that has caused her to spend the majority of her time quietly at her residence in Tokyo.

The former empress has had a mild fever since May, but she has been expressing concern about the impact of the pandemic on society, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

She is marking her second birthday since her husband, former Emperor Akihito, stepped down from the Chrysanthemum Throne on April 30 last year.

In March, the couple left the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, their home since 1993, in a first step toward switching residences with their son, Emperor Naruhito, and his family.

The former emperor and empress currently use the Takanawa Imperial Residence as a temporary home, where they take walks together in the garden and share their memories of the trips they took in Japan and abroad, the agency said.

Student's Homemade Bomb Sparks School Lockdown in Sapporo

A suspicious object feared to be explosive was discovered at a high school in Sapporo on the afternoon of November 22nd, causing temporary chaos. The object was found to have been brought to the school by one of its students.

China to resume visa-exemptions for short-term Japanese travelers

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Japan Grapples with Poverty and Rising 'Invisible Homeless'

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Ueno Toshogu Shrine Shines in Gold with Special Lighting

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World's First Fiber Made From Bagworm Silk Revolutionizes Industry

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