THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
January 2, 2026 at 16:52 JST
Emperor Naruhito, joined by Empress Masako and other imperial family members, greeted well-wishers from the balcony of the Imperial Palace on Jan. 2 and offered words of encouragement for the new year.
Attending the event for the first time was Prince Hisahito, the only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko who completed ceremonies to mark his reaching of adulthood last September.
“My thoughts go out to all those who are facing difficulties in their daily lives,” the emperor said in addressing the crowd, referring to the earthquakes, heavy rains and forest fires that struck parts of the nation last year.
“While there will likely be various difficulties, I pray that this will be a calm and good year for all,” Naruhito said.
The imperial couple were scheduled to make about five appearances on the balcony, according to Imperial Household Agency officials.
Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko appeared in the morning sessions.
Naruhito, Masako and other imperial family members on Jan. 1 received New Year greetings at the Imperial Palace from the heads of the three branches of government.
Naruhito told the gathering that he prayed for the happiness of the people and development of the nation.
The emperor also released a message through the Imperial Household Agency to mark the new year.
While touching upon the natural disasters and rising consumer prices that hit Japan as well as military conflicts in various parts of the world, Naruhito said, “I hope the new year will be one in which the people of Japan and the world can move forward with hope.”
Noting that 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, Naruhito said, “I realized once again the importance of passing on into the future the course we have taken until now.”
He added that the military conflicts around the world pained him, and he hoped that further dialogue efforts would lead to mutual understanding and cooperation.
With 2026 marking the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, Imperial Household Agency officials are planning to have Naruhito and Masako visit the three most severely affected prefectures of Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima between March and April.
They are also considering having the imperial couple visit Kumamoto Prefecture in autumn to mark the 10th anniversary of two strong earthquakes that struck within a few days of each other.
(This article was compiled from reports by Ayako Nakada and Senior Staff Writer Yasuhiko Shima.)
Naruhito: Prayers for peace now vital for the world
February 23, 2023
Emperor delivers 1st video message to rally people’s hopes in crisis
January 2, 2021
Princess Aiko to make 1st official visit overseas this autumn
May 24, 2025
Imperial family to visit Nagasaki in September to mark WWII’s end
August 12, 2025
A peek through the music industry’s curtain at the producers who harnessed social media to help their idols go global.
A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry
Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors.
Cooking experts, chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life.
A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II
Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other members of the imperial family attend the New Year reception at the Imperial Palace on Jan. 1. (Pool)
