Japan’s new Emperor greets cheering crowds in parade
Tokyo: Thousands of flagwaving people cheered Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito on Sunday during a rare open-top car imperial parade that was rescheduled after a deadly typhoon.
Some in the crowd camped overnight for a prime stop by the palace for the 30-minute parade featuring the emperor and his wife empress Masako.
The royal couple emerged from the palace moments before 3:00 pm (0600 GMT), with the emperor wearing formal western clothing and the empress dressed in a long cream gown and jacket, wearing a tiara passed down to her by the previous empress.
Security was high for the event, with long lines forming hours ahead of the parade and thousands of police deployed to search bags and move spectators through metal detectors. Security forces lined the entire length of the route in double rows, keeping close watch as the slow-moving parade passed by, flanked by police on motorbikes.
In the minutes before the parade began, police at the Hibiya crossing in central Tokyo warned would-be attendees that
the area was full.
“We’re at disneyland levels of crowding. The security check won’t finish in time for you to see the parade,” one policeman with a loudspeaker warned those still in line.
Yoko Mori, 64, lined up from 10:00 am to snag a spot to see the parade, travelling from Saitama outside Tokyo.
“We came here because it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and we wanted to celebrate this event,” she told AFP, flanked by her friend Chiyoe Ito, 70.
“But it’s regrettable that we just had a glimpse of the car. I concentrated so much on taking a photo, I barely looked with my own eyes.” Earlier, Yukari Oshita, in her 60s, said she was thrilled at the chance to see the royal couple.
“This will be my last chance to see an imperial parade,” she said waiting near the Imperial Palace. “The Emperor is a few years younger than me but belongs to same generation. I feel connected with him,” she said. “And Empress Masako is someone who can be a role model for modern women with full-time jobs,” she said.