TOKYO: Japan’s Emperor Naruhito has formally ascended the throne amid an elaborate ceremony on Tuesday.
The emperor, 59, officially began his reign in May after the abdication of his father, the then-Emperor Akihito.
But his ascension is only now being formalized in a series of traditional rituals.
The Sokui no Rei – or the Ceremony of Accession – saw Emperor Naruhito inside the 6.5m-high Takamikura throne.
He read out a formal proclamation, dressed in a yellow-orange tone robe worn only by emperors on special occasions.
“I swear that I will act according to the constitution and fulfil my responsibility as the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people,” said the emperor, according to a Reuters translation.
His ascension comes as Japan reels from the effects of Typhoon Hagibis, which left almost 80 people dead.
(Agencies)
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