Full text of Emperor Naruhito's 62nd Birthday Press Conference (4)On 50th Anniversary of Okinawa's Return to Mainland Japan, Princess Aiko and Prince Hisahito

 On 50th Anniversary of Okinawa's Return to Mainland Japan, Princess Aiko and Prince Hisahito


The parent article is here.

 

Press: This year marks the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to the mainland. Your Majesty have made a number of visits and have continued to interact with the "small reporters".Please tell us about your memories of Okinawa and your thoughts on the history and people of Okinawa, which suffered a great deal of damage in the last World War.

 

Emperor: Since I was a child, I have heard many things about Okinawa from Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress, who have deep feelings for Okinawa. My relationship with Okinawa as a child was based on my interactions with the Okinawan bean journalists in Karuizawa, where I spent every summer. It was a great opportunity for me as a child to learn about Okinawa. In the middle of the meeting, a student of the bean-counters demonstrated Okinawan karate forms, and I fondly remembered those days while watching the karate performance of Ryo Kiyuna, an Okinawan athlete who won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics last summer. At the end of the party, everyone sang the Okinawa folk songs "Tinsagunuka" and "Bashofu" together.

 

Also, since I was a child, I have offered a silent prayer every year on June 23, the Okinawa Memorial Day. The first time I visited Okinawa was during the Summer National Athletic Meet in 1987, and prior to that, I heard about the culture and history of Okinawa from Professor Morizen Sotoma and others, who were researchers of Okinawan studies. I think it was a great opportunity to deepen my understanding of Okinawa.

 

In Okinawa, we visited Himeyuri Tower and the war dead cemetery, and I remember how deeply I felt the pain of the war damage that Okinawa had suffered. After our marriage, I visited the Cornerstone of Peace with Masako, and we both renewed our feelings for all the people who died in the Battle of Okinawa. It was a pity that Shuri Castle, which had been an important symbol for the Okinawan people, was burned down, but I also have good memories of visiting historical sites such as Shuri Castle and Nakijin Castle Ruins, and watching Kumidori and Ryukyu dances at various times, which allowed me to experience the history and rich culture of Okinawa.

 

Okinawa was the scene of a tragic ground war during the last World War, and after being out from under the control of the Japanese government for about 27 years, it was reverted to Japan the day before the 50th anniversary of the war under the strong wishes of its people. During this time, until today, I believe that the people of Okinawa have overcome many hardships, and I believe that we should never forget this. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Okinawa's reversion to the mainland, and I myself would like to take a fresh look at the path that Okinawa has been on, and extend my heart to the land of Okinawa and the people of Okinawa. I also hope that many people will continue to learn about the history and culture of Okinawa and deepen their understanding of the island.

 

Press: You mentioned that Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko became an adult member of the Imperial Family in the blink of an eye, but what were your honest impressions when you saw Her Imperial Highness Princess Aiko's beautiful appearance during the coming-of-age events at the Palace?

 

Emperor: As I mentioned earlier, I was deeply moved by the fact that Aiko, who was once a small child, has now turned 20 years old and has become an adult. I sincerely hoped that she would lead a truly happy life in the future.

 

Press: I was wondering if you could tell us a little more about Aiko's college life as you look back on it, but the other day it was announced that Prince Hisahito, the second in line of succession to the throne, has been accepted by Tsukuba University High School and is expected to go on to study there. During his high school years, he will reach the age of 18. What are your thoughts on this matter, and what are your expectations for His Majesty's future life as the heir to the throne, based on your own experience?

 

Emperor: Well, My high school days seem like a long time ago, and although the years have passed, I really enjoyed my three years in high school, meeting many people, making friends, and engaging in various activities. In that sense, I still fondly remember that I was able to spend three very fulfilling years. The other day, I received a report that Prince Hisahito's destination for higher education has been decided, and I sincerely hope that he will have a fruitful high school life.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Kei Komuro Listed at Major U.S. Law Firm :There are Also Allegations of Career Fraud

Image
    Kei Komuro, 29, has found his name listed as a "law clerk" on the website of a U.S. law firm.   https://www.lowenstein.com/people/attorneys/kei-komuro The law firm has five offices in the U.S., founded in 1961, and has more than 350 lawyers on staff.  Komuro graduated from Fordham University Law School in the U.S. and has taken the New York State bar exam, the results of which will be announced in December, and if he passes, he is expected to work for the firm.   The firm's website lists his name as "Kei Komuro" and "Law Clerk" with his profile. In addition to his academic background, the site lists his awards at Fordham University, including " Fordham's JFK Profile in Courage and Sweat Equity Award; Fordham's Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award ."   In addition, it described: "Kei counsels entrepreneurs, emerging companies, and investors on venture capital financings, mergers and acquisitions, entity formation, and gene
Read more

Kei Komuro Receives "JFK Award": a New Allegation of Career Fraud?

Image
  New doubts have been raised about Komuro's biography posted on the website of Lowenstein Sandler, the law firm where Kei Komuro is employed.   This is because it stated that Komuro had received the "JFK Profile in Courage Award".   According to a report in the weekly magazine "Josei Jishin" dated the 12th of this month,   The award, named after the book "Courageous Men" by John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding political leadership. The award is selected mainly from politicians and civil servants, and former U.S. President Barack Obama and former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan are among the past recipients. As a matter of course, Mr. Komuro, who was only a student, should not have received this award, and his name is not found in the list of winners.   Speaking of Komuro, when she entered Fordham University, she was introduced on the university's website
Read more

Kei Komuro's Mother Criminally Charged with Fraud

Image
    With the wedding of Kei Komuro to Princess Mako, the eldest daughter of the Akishino family, approaching on October 26, Komuro's mother, Kayo, was criminally accused of fraud on October 6, and journalist Shinohara Soichiro, who is active on YouTube and other media, filed a complaint with the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office.   There are two reasons why Kayo was accused. The first is the allegation of fraudulent receipt of the survivor's pension. Kayo lost her husband, Toshikatsu, in 2002, and has been receiving a survivor's pension since then. However, there was a period of time during which she received financial support from her ex-fiancee, Mr. A. During her engagement with Mr. A, she reportedly sent him e-mails  in which she asked him to keep her de facto marriage with Mr. A a secret while she was receiving her husband's survivor's pension. If she began to live with another man after her husband's death, she would no longer be eligible
Read more

What is Kei Komuro's Debt Problem

Image
What is the Komuro's Debt Problem?  After the death of Kei Komuro's father, Kei's mother Kayo, received financial support of over 4 million yen (some $36.44K) from her then fiancé during the engagement period in the name of Kei's school fees and living expenses. After the engagement was dissolved, the former fiancé requested that these monies be repaid as a loan, but Komuro's mother and Kei did not repay the money, claiming that it was a donation.   The issue was first reported by the Japanese women's weekly magazine, Shukan Josei, in December 2017, three months after the announcement of Mako and Komuro's informal engagement.   https://www.jprime.jp/articles/-/11267   In the article above, we can see from the entries in the bank passbook that the ex-fiancee had been sending money one after another as Kayo told him to.   This issue triggered various scandals involving Komuro's mother and Kei, which came to light one after another. 'The Financi
Read more

Classmate Bullying by Komuro

Image
Three cases of bullying by Kei Komuro against his classmates from his elementary school days have been reported so far.   (1) The first victim was A, a male classmate from the elementary school attached to the National College of Music.   A was a good friend of Kei, but he started to be bullied by Kei in the summer of his fifth year after Kei's father's suicide. Kei, together with the kid leader, bullied A by calling him nicknames, singing songs that made fun of his nicknames, deliberately not showing up for meetings with A, and laughing when he saw A looking for Kei. He also kicked a ball at A at close range with several classmates under the guise of soccer practice, shouted at A :"Don't come to school!” from the classroom window. He was often absent from school and the bullying continued until they both graduated from elementary school. In addition, Weekly Bunshun also interviewed another classmate from elementary school, B, who admitted that there had been b
Read more

US to Pay for Mako and Kei's Security in the US, Japan Reports

Image
    Mako Komuro and Kei Komuro arrived in New York, U.S.A. on November 14 and started their new life. At Kennedy International Airport, NYPD officers provided security.   What will happen to their security in the future? According to a Japanese police source quoted by "Bunshun Online" on November 14,   “In the United States, the Japanese police have no authority whatsoever. Carrying a handgun is a no-no.   If people knew that Mako was a former princess of Japan, the world's third largest economy, there was a good chance that she would be targeted by robbers or kidnappers. In the U.S., where the new coronavirus is spreading again, discrimination against Asians is said to be continuing, and there is a risk of being attacked by thugs, so security should be necessary.   However, the Japanese police cannot do anything about it. In the end, the reality is that we have no choice but to leave security to the New York Police Department and other U.S. police a
Read more

Reported Scandals: The Japanese Will Never Accept Komuro

Image
  Bizarre English-language newspaper: Focuses only on debt problems   Is the debt problem the only problem of Komuro, Princess Mako’s boyfriend? No. Curiously, the Western media seems to be trying to limit his problems to the debt problem. Whose intention is this?   Let's take the Japan Times, for example, one of the leading English-language newspapers in Japan. The headline "Money row tied to princess's boyfriend may end in settlement" at the end of April this year is full of congratulations. This makes it seem as if Mako and Komuro can get married as long as they pay off their debts. (In fact, there is no sign of a settlement at all, as you can see in this article .)   In addition, there is no report of any harsh words by the Emperor or the results of various polls. For the Emperor's words, see here . For the results of the public opinion poll, see here .   What is the Root of the Japanese People's Rejection? In reality, it is not
Read more

Kei Komuro Fails NY State Bar Exam?

  The NY State Board of Law Examiners announced the list of successful applicants on its official website on July 29.   https://www.nybarexam.org/EXJ21/July2021Results.htm   I can't find Komuro's name on the "K to L" page of this list of successful candidates.   According to reports in Japan, the salary at the law firm where Komuro is employed is about 18 million yen for a lawyer in his first year. The salary for a non-lawyer law clerk is believed to be around 6.5 million yen.   If he fails to pass the exam, it will already cast a pall over the newlywed life of the Komuros in New York.   The New York State bar exam is held twice a year, and the next exam will be held in February 2022.
Read more

Mako Komuro and Kei Attend Funeral of Mako's grandfather with Akishino Family

Image
    Tatsuhiko Kawashima, professor emeritus at Gakushuin University, father of Noriko Akishino and grandfather of Mako Komuro, died of mesothelioma on April 4 at the age of 81. In accordance with his wishes, a family funeral was held on the 6th. Kei Komuro and Mako attended the family funeral together.   　 At around 3:00 p.m., the two went out in the same cab, led by a car with an SP. Kei was wearing a black suit. Mako wore a pearl necklace and earrings, and was dressed in mourning.   Mr. Kawashima's home was also visited by Prince Akishino and his family. The family left Mr. Kawashima's home a little after 5 p.m.   　 Kei and Mako boarded a cab together at 8:05 p.m. and headed home. Mako bowed her head and made a bow in the car to the assembled press, but her expression was sad.   　 Mr. Kawashima was hospitalized on October 19. Mako had visited him many times at the hospital to pay her respects. On the 29th of the same month, Mako visited the hospital with K
Read more

Former fiancée of Kei Komuro's mother releases comments: "I've asked Kei to convey her own wishes..."

Image
 Former fiancée of Kei Komuro's mother releases comments: "I've asked Kei to convey her own wishes..."   On the 10th, the former fiancé of Kei Komuro's (30) mother, Kayo, released a comment to the media. He said that he and Ms. Komuro have been discussing the financial trouble with Ms. Kayo through his agent, and that he would like to resolve the issue as soon as possible and inform everyone about it. Komuro will marry Princess Mako, 29, the eldest daughter of the Akishino family, on the 26th of this month.   　 On the first day of this month, the lawyer for Mr. Komuro's side said, "Our intention to pay the settlement has not changed," and proposed that Mr. Komuro discuss the matter with the former fiancee instead of Ms. Kayo, who is not feeling well. The former fiancé is demanding that he first discuss the matter with Ms. Kayo before negotiating the financial aspect, and insists that "the other party to the discussion is only Ms. Kayo.
Read more