Japanese emperor offers New Year’s greetings

TOKYO Japan’s 83-year-old Emperor Akihito has offered New Year’s greetings expressing hope “that people can lead calm and spiritually rich lives” to well-wishers gathered at the Imperial Palace on Monday. "It is my hope that people can lead calm and spiritually rich lives this year," he said after appeared on a palace balcony alongside his wife Empress Michiko and other members of the royal family. "I pray for peace and happiness for the people of Japan and the people of the world," Kyodo news agency quoted him as saying. The emperor is scheduled to hold five greeting sessions throughout the day. Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Crown Princess Masako also appeared alongside the emperor on the balcony of the Chowa-Den wing of the palace, as well as Prince Akishino, his wife Princess Kiko and their two daughters. On Dec. 23, Emperor Akihito celebrated his 83rd birthday by thanking the public for their welcoming response to a message earlier this year expressing his wish to abdicate. A record number of 33,000 people had visited the Imperial Palace, where the emperor and empress waved from behind the windowpanes, to mark the occasion. In August, Emperor Akihito announced in a speech broadcast directly to the Japanese people that he wanted to hand over the public burdens of the monarchy to his son Crown Prince Naruhito, now 56. The Imperial Household law governing the emperor’s itinerary, however, has no provision for an imperial abdication as emperors are expected to serve until death. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government established an advisory panel in September to review the feasibility of abdication and ways that the burden on the emperor could be alleviated. The six-member panel is due to compile a report next month on the matter, with its next meeting set for Jan. 11. According to the Imperial Household Agency, Emperor Akihito takes part in about 250 public meetings and 75 trips both at home and abroad a year. The household staff has tried to limit his duties, but there are some -- including religious rites -- he can’t easily delegate. Earlier this month, he canceled an annual year-end luncheon with PM Abe due to a cold.