Full text of Empress Masako's Impressions on Her 58th Birthday
On
the occasion of her 58th birthday on December 9, Her Majesty the Empress Masako
announced her impressions through the Imperial Household Agency.
I
would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude for the warm blessings I
received from so many people as my daughter, Aiko, reached the age of majority
earlier this month.
The
twenty years since Aiko was born seem to have been both long and fleeting, but
I am deeply moved by the many memories that come to mind. At the same time, it
is hard to believe that the young Aiko is already an adult.
I
would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has warmly watched
over Aiko's growth. I hope that Aiko will continue to grow step by step as she
accumulates various experiences, and that she will be able to successfully
fulfill her duties as an adult member of the Imperial Family. I would be
grateful if you could continue to warmly watch over Aiko.
This
year, like last year, we have been hit by the disaster of the new coronavirus
infection. It has been a very heartbreaking year, with many people dying in
Japan and around the world. My heart goes out to those who lost their loved
ones suddenly due to the new coronavirus infection.
I
would also like to express my heartfelt sympathy to those who are still
battling the disease and suffering from the aftereffects. At the same time, I
am concerned about the long and arduous work of the medical personnel who have
been engaged in the treatment of the new coronavirus infection since last year,
and how much their physical and mental fatigue has increased.
Fortunately,
as a result of the concerted efforts of many people, the number of infected and
seriously ill people in our country has calmed down. On the other hand, the
situation still remains unpredictable due to the increasing number of infected
people overseas and the emergence of new mutant strains that we should be
concerned about, and I feel the need for everyone to continue to work together
to take all possible measures and make all possible efforts.
I
hope that further efforts will be made both inside and outside Japan to
overcome the new coronavirus infection, including research and development of
vaccines and treatment methods, and that the people of Japan and the world will
be able to steadily overcome this ordeal, even if it is step by step.
With
the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the environment surrounding us has
changed dramatically. This year has been another year of hardship for many
people. It is especially heartbreaking to see so many people facing economic
and social hardships. It is reported that the number of suicides among working
women increased by about 30%, and the number of suicides among elementary,
junior high and high school students reached a record high. I feel that this
problem is caused by the fact that it is now difficult for people to come into
contact with each other and it is easy to feel lonely.
As
the spread of the new coronavirus infection has had a major impact on
socio-economic activities, it is heartbreaking to hear that many people are
facing various hardships, such as reduced income and abandonment of higher
education. I hope that we can create a society in which we can all care for and
support each other more than ever before, so that we can easily consult with
those around us and visit our local support centers, so that sad and tragic
events such as people taking their own lives will be prevented as much as
possible.
This
year marks the 10th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Looking
back over the past ten years, I am sure that many of you have renewed your deep
sorrow. I myself have had many opportunities to recall the difficult situation
at the time of the earthquake. In addition, 10 years after the earthquake, I
have had the opportunity to see the reconstruction of Iwate, Miyagi, and
Fukushima prefectures online and to talk with the people who were affected by
the disaster. My heart aches for them. I hope that His Majesty and I will
continue to extend our heartfelt sympathy to the people in the disaster areas.
And
this year, unfortunately, natural disasters such as torrential rains occurred
in various places.
The
torrential rains in July and August recorded the highest amount of rainfall in
the history of observation in many areas, and it was tragic that many people
died or went missing, especially in Atami City, Shizuoka Prefecture. I would
like to express my heartfelt condolences to those who lost their lives and my
deepest sympathy to the bereaved families and the victims of the disaster.
Looking
at the world, disasters that are thought to be caused by climate change are
increasing, and it is expected that countermeasures will become increasingly
important in the future. In this context, I think it is very significant that
Dr. Yoshiro Manabe, who developed the climate model used to predict global
warming, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics this year.
I am pleased to see
that Mr. Manabe's research has been highly evaluated, as it has led to the
spread of awareness that global environmental issues are related to the
survival of future generations, and that the awareness and actions of each and
every one of us living today will have a significant impact on the future of
the global environment. I myself studied a little bit of energy economics when
I was in college, and I was also involved in environmental issues including
climate change when I was working before I got married, so I am deeply
impressed by the importance of climate change and global environmental issues
every day.
This
summer, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were held in Japan.
I
am relieved that the Games ended successfully, even though the participating
athletes and officials had to face the difficult challenge of the spread of the
new coronavirus infection. I watched both the Olympic and Paralympic Games on
TV, and I was impressed by the sight of athletes putting forth their best
efforts to compete despite the various restrictions imposed by the coronavirus,
and the sight of athletes from different countries praising each other's good
performance.
I
also believe that the Japanese athletes did a wonderful job, and many people
shared their excitement. I would like to express my respect for the efforts of
the athletes who continued to work hard under the difficult circumstances of
the spread of the new coronavirus infection, the coaches and staff who
supported the athletes, and the management staff, volunteers, medical
personnel, security personnel, and many others who supported the implementation
of the Games. I would like to thank all of them.
In
the field of sports, Shohei Ohtani, who is a two-way pitcher and the second
Japanese player to be elected MVP of Major League Baseball this fall, has given
courage and hope to many people.
As
for myself, for the second time this year, I was able to be involved in all the
work of silkworm rearing, such as silkworm feeding, silkworm cocooning, cocoon
poking, cocoon cutting, and seeding, from May to June. I am happy and grateful
that I could finish this year successfully with the help of the chief of the
silkworm farm and others. I am looking forward to raising silkworms and working
with them again next year.
In
September, I will be moving to the Fukiage area of the Imperial Palace, where
Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress have lived for a long time. Although I
felt a sense of sadness at leaving the land of Akasaka, which I have been
accustomed to living in for many years, I am grateful that I have been able to
start my new life in Fukiage, a place rich in nature. I would like to express
my gratitude to Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress for their warm support
during the renovation of the Fukiage Palace and until our relocation.
I
would also like to express my gratitude to the many people who have helped me
in Akasaka and to all those who have contributed to my move to the Imperial
Palace.
I
know that it continues to be difficult for Their Majesties the Emperor and
Empress to go outside due to the effects of the new coronavirus infection, but
I sincerely hope that you will take good care of yourselves and stay in good
health. I pray that the renovation of the Sento Palace in Akasaka will go
smoothly and that you will be able to move in at a reasonable time. I would
like to thank you again for the warm support you have shown to us and Aiko.
I
am most grateful to His Majesty the Emperor for his continued good health
despite his busy schedule in the midst of the Corona disaster. I would also
like to express my deepest gratitude for your constant concern for my health. I
will continue to make every effort to recover my health so that I can continue
to support His Majesty and fulfill my own duties.
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