Full text of Emperor Naruhito's 62nd Birthday Press Conference (1) Looking Back on the Past Year

 Looking Back on the Past Year

 

See the parent article here.

 

　In the past year, while the effects of the new coronavirus infection continued to be felt, there were various events such as the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the relocation of the Imperial Family to the Imperial Palace, and the U.S. birthday of the Emperor. Could you tell us about the events that left a deep impression on you? In a situation where opportunities for direct contact with the public are limited, what were your impressions of your online visits to various places, and what do you think about the future of your activities in With Corona and Post Corona?

 

Emperor: The past year has also seen a raging outbreak of a new coronavirus infection. I would like to express my deepest condolences to those who have lost their lives and my heartfelt sympathy to the many people who have lost family members, friends and other loved ones. My heart aches for the many people who have lost their jobs, fallen into difficult living situations, or become increasingly isolated due to the effects of infectious diseases. Medical professionals are working day and night on the front lines to save the lives of patients, with a strong sense of mission, while being exposed to the threat of their own infection. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation for the efforts of the emergency teams, public health centers, and other related organizations who are also working hard to connect affected people to medical facilities. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to the many people who are making every effort to support and protect the lives and livelihoods of the socially vulnerable, such as the elderly, the disabled, the needy, and children from needy households. I am also grateful to the Essential Workers who support the daily lives of many people. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to these many people.

 

Continuing to take measures against the spread of prolonged infectious diseases requires a great deal of effort. I believe that there are many people who are making efforts to prevent the spread of infection to the extent that they can, such as avoiding direct contact with close people and paying attention to every corner of their lives. I would like to express my deep appreciation to each and every one of you for your efforts. Although the situation has been difficult for a long time, I firmly believe that we will be able to overcome this difficult situation with patience by continuing to make efforts to share the pain and support each other while caring for each other.

 

Last year, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were held. Although the Games were held under difficult circumstances due to the spread of a new coronavirus infection, I would like to express my respect for the efforts of the management staff, volunteers, medical personnel, security personnel, and many others who made it possible for the Games to be successfully completed. Like us, I am sure that there were many people who found new hope and courage in the way each of the participating athletes gave their all to compete. I was also deeply moved by the sight of the athletes from the participating countries praising each other's good performance, and, for example, the sight of all the athletes from Japan, the United States, and France naturally mixing together for a commemorative photo after the women's basketball award ceremony.

 

While watching such scenes, I was reminded of Ingolf Mørk of Norway, who carried Yukio Kasaya on his shoulders in praise of his gold medal-winning performance in the 70-meter ski jump at the Sapporo Winter Olympics 50 years ago. I fondly remembered Ingolf Mørk of Norway, who carried Yukio Kasaya on his shoulders in praise of Kasaya's gold medal-winning performance in the 70-meter ski jump at the Sapporo Winter Olympics 50 years ago. Although various tensions still exist between countries, it is my hope that people-to-people exchanges will lead to a peaceful world where people recognize each other beyond the boundaries of countries and regions.

 

Last year, the issue of climate change continued to draw attention as one of the biggest challenges facing humanity today. In order to solve this problem, a wide range of stakeholders, including the government, corporations, research institutions, and the general public, must work together to realize a decarbonized society.

 

This sometimes seems like an insurmountable obstacle, but in recent years we have taken up the challenge. For example, in the early years of the Heisei era (1989), ozone layer depletion, which increases the amount of ultraviolet rays falling on the earth's surface, was the first global environmental issue to be addressed. However, with decades of international collaboration and cooperation, technological innovation by companies such as CFC recovery technology, and consumer understanding and cooperation, the ozone layer is expected to recover to 1980 levels by the 2030s. I have heard that the situation is improving to the extent that a specialized agency of the United Nations has indicated that the ozone layer will recover to the level of 1980 by the 2030s. This recovery of the ozone layer is a good example of the improvement of environmental problems that have been addressed on a global scale, and it gives us courage as efforts to combat climate change are beginning.

 

In this context, I am delighted that Dr. Shukuro Manabe was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics last year for his development of a climate model that was also used to predict global warming. I sincerely hope that the problem of climate change will be improved through the continued efforts of all concerned parties in each country and region, as well as the general public, to work together to promote countermeasures, while fully utilizing the knowledge that has been accumulated thus far.

 

It will soon be 11 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred. The fact that more than 20,000 people died or went missing as a result of this disaster is still deeply painful to remember. In the process of reconstruction, progress has been made in building social infrastructure to support people's lives and industries, but I have heard that the number of people who need psychological support has been increasing in recent years, and I believe that reconstruction in the true sense of the word is still in the middle of the road. Together with Masako, I will continue to give my heart to the affected areas.

 

思い返せば、東日本大震災直後には，現地に駆けつけたボランティアに多くの被災者が勇気付けられたものと思います。海外の多くの国々からも支援物資等が届けられ、ボランティアが被災地に駆けつけてくれました。先月の海底火山の噴火による被害が伝えられるトンガの皆さんからも、その時、様々な支援を頂いたことは記憶に新しいところです。その時の感謝の気持ちは今なお色あせるものではありません。ここに改めて、この度のトンガの噴火により被災された方々に心からのお見舞いをお伝えいたします。

 

In 2011, the same year as the Great East Japan Earthquake, Mr. Atsushi Miyazaki, who went to Turkey from Japan to support the earthquake disaster, unfortunately passed away there due to aftershocks. President Gül at the time sent a letter to His Majesty the Emperor, saying that he would never forget Mr. Miyazaki's devotion to the people of Turkey, who had moved the hearts of the Turkish people. Last year, I read that parks and schools named after Mr. Miyazaki have been opened in various parts of Turkey, which left a strong impression on me along with the warm feelings of the Turkish people. The spirit of disaster volunteers is truly noble, as they strive to help people who have fallen on hard times. I would like to express my respect for the many people in Japan who are engaged in disaster volunteer activities both at home and abroad.

 

In Japan, several major earthquakes are predicted to occur in the future. In addition, in recent years, there have been frequent torrential rains and other disasters that have caused significant damage. It is said that the risk of weather-related disasters may increase further in the future due to the effects of climate change, and the number of situations where many people will need help when a disaster strikes is expected to increase. Therefore, I hope that each and every one of us will raise our awareness of disaster prevention and mitigation, prepare ourselves for disasters, and when a disaster occurs somewhere else, each and every one of us will be able to help those affected by the disaster to the extent that we can, and act to help them.

 

Masako and I regret that the new coronavirus infection has made it difficult for us to have broad and direct contact with the people.

 

 

Nevertheless, it was meaningful and gratifying for us to be able to listen to the stories of the local people and interact with them through online visits to various parts of the country, such as the visit to the three prefectures affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake in March and April of last year to observe the reconstruction process. It was a meaningful and gratifying experience for us. For example, in honor of Children's Day in May, we visited schools in Takamori Town at the foot of Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture and in Mishima Village, a remote island in Kagoshima Prefecture, both within a half-day period, and were able to interact with children from each unique region. The fact that I was able to participate in the 5th United Nations Special Session on Water and Disaster online with researchers from various countries shows that the use of online is not only beneficial in fighting infectious diseases, but also in enabling us to meet people in multiple locations at the same time, and to interact with people in remote islands and mountainous areas, which are normally difficult to visit, with relative ease and realism. It also made me realize once again the advantages and possibilities of interacting with people in remote islands and mountainous areas that are normally difficult to visit, with a sense of realism. While there are some aspects that can only be achieved through actual visits to various places, such as talking directly with many local people and sharing the same experiences, and feeling the atmosphere of each place firsthand, in the current situation where the infection is still unresolved, online is an effective way to connect us with the people of the nation and the world. However, in the current situation where the infection is still unresolved, online is considered to be an effective way to connect us with the people of the nation and the world. Although there may be some challenges with the online system, I hope that we can continue to use it in a way that is appropriate to the situation. Even after the infection is under control, we will continue to consider using online services when they are appropriate.

 

Due to the effects of the new coronavirus infection, it is now difficult for us to interact with each other in various ways, and it is not easy for us to meet face-to-face to deepen our ties and expand our connections.　 In the midst of all this, I hope that everyone will continue to keep the fire of hope burning in their hearts while cherishing our connections with each other, and that this will be a year in which people and society can connect, recognize each other, and support each other beyond national and regional boundaries.

 

I am delighted that His Majesty the Emperor celebrated his 88th birthday at the end of last year, and His Majesty the Empress celebrated her 88th birthday this year. We were delighted to be able to see Their Majesties together for the first time in many years last December and on New Year's Day this year. We are also grateful for their continued warm support of us and Aiko. I am sure that Their Majesties are spending their days with great concern over the spread of the new coronavirus infection. I sincerely hope that you will continue to take good care of yourselves and enjoy a long and healthy life.