Event Celebrating the Emperor's Birthday Canceled Due to COVID-19... First Time in 24 Years

Imperial Household Agency Cancels Public Invitation Event for Emperor's Birthday Scheduled on the 23rd

This is the first cancellation in 24 years since the 1996 Japanese Embassy Hostage Incident in Peru

▲Emperor Naruhito (left) and Empress Masako [Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jaehee] The Imperial Household Agency, which manages the Japanese royal administration, announced on the 17th via Kyodo News that it will cancel the public invitation event (general participation) for Emperor Naruhito's birthday scheduled for the 23rd.

The Imperial Household Agency is reported to have made the decision to cancel the event due to concerns over the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

This is the first time in 24 years that the public invitation event for the Emperor's birthday has been canceled since the 1996 Japanese Embassy hostage incident in Peru.

Every year at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, a New Year's event is held on January 2nd along with the public invitation event for the Emperor's birthday. During the Emperor's birthday public invitation event, the Emperor and Empress along with the royal family greet the public gathered three times in the morning on the balcony of the K?kyo Ky?den (Imperial Palace main building) to celebrate the birthday.

As of the previous day, the total number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Japan was 414, including 355 passengers aboard the large cruise ship "Diamond Princess" docked at Yokohama Port.

On the same day, a staff member in their 50s from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare who was dispatched to the cruise ship and a nurse in their 40s at a hospital in Sagamihara City were confirmed to be infected with COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in Japan to 416.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government's fifth chartered flight carrying a total of 65 people, including 36 Japanese residents from Hubei Province, China?the origin of COVID-19?and their spouses as well as 29 Chinese nationals, departed from the area and arrived at Tokyo Haneda Airport on the morning of the 17th.

Among the returnees, two were in poor health and were immediately transported to a hospital, while the remaining 63 will stay at the National Tax College in Wak? City, Saitama Prefecture, a quarantine facility designated by the Japanese government.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.