Society | Oct 20

Japan's former Empress Michiko turns 86

Oct 20 (Kyodo) - Former Empress Michiko turned 86 on Tuesday, marking her birthday amid the coronavirus pandemic that has caused her to spend the majority of her time quietly at her residence in Tokyo.

The former empress has had a mild fever since May, but she has been expressing concern about the impact of the pandemic on society, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

She is marking her second birthday since her husband, former Emperor Akihito, stepped down from the Chrysanthemum Throne on April 30 last year.

In March, the couple left the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, their home since 1993, in a first step toward switching residences with their son, Emperor Naruhito, and his family.

The former emperor and empress currently use the Takanawa Imperial Residence as a temporary home, where they take walks together in the garden and share their memories of the trips they took in Japan and abroad, the agency said.

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