Imperial Couple Visits Toronto

On Wednesday night, the Emperor and Empress of Japan arrived in Toronto, their third stop on their official visit of Canada. Upon arriving at the Royal York Hotel, they were greeted by a large group of children, some of them of Japanese descent. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko took the time to say hello and shake hands with the children.

“My son shook hands with the emperor. That is a lifetime memory,” said Minoru Komori. “In Japan, the emperor is highly regarded and they usually sit in a very protected manner.”

On Thursday, Their Imperial Majesties got down to business in the Canadian capital of finance. They met with Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

They also visited children at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children. The  couple chatted with both the staff and the children. Empress Michiko, who is patron of Japan’s Red Cross, chatted with some of the children about badminton, one of her favorite sports.

She also donated four books she had written or translated to the hospital’s library. The Empress wanted to sing a lullaby, but warned the patients, “I don’t have a good voice.”

Not everyone thought so.

“She was very good. It kind of made me wish I could hear more,” said Brandon Greenwall, a patient.

Another patient, 11 year-old Douha Amani, demonstrated the Japanese she learned from her karate classes.

“I counted from one to five for the empress,” she said. “She told me she hopes my brother gets well. It’s not every day you get to meet someone so special, so it was very exciting.”

Next, the Emperor and Empress had a meeting with Lieutenant Governor of Ontario David Onley at Queen’s Park. They later went on to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center, where the Empress wore kimono.

Friday the imperial couple arrive in Vancouver, British Columbia. Waiting for them there may be large crowds again, but also some controversy. Community groups are calling for Emperor Akihito to make amends for the atrocities Japan did during World War II. One group sent a letter to the Japanese Consulate, asking for Japan’s parliament to pass a resolution which would apologize for such actions as turning thousands of women in the Asia-Pacific region sex slaves to Japanese soldiers.

The letter does not directly ask Emperor Akihito for an apology, but it says whatever he says about the atrocities would mean a lot to the victims.

“The current emperor mentioning an apology or expression of regret over the past war can, of course, influence the Japanese people or Japanese government’s behavior,” Satoko Norimatsu, director of the Peace Philosophy Centre, told a news conference.

The letter to the Japanese Consulate thanks Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko for their efforts for a peaceful world, but adds more needs to be done.