Japan in Mourning
Dateline: 06/16/00Japanese Empress Dowager, Nagako, the longest-lived empress in Japanese history, passed away on June 16 (Friday) at 4:46 pm (Japan Time) at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. She was 97. She suffered from breathing difficulties for two days and was listed in critical condition in the morning of June 16th. It is reported that she died from natural causes due to her advanced age. Nagako was the mother of the current Heisei Emperor and was the widow of the Showa Emperor, Hirohito, who passed away in January of 1989.
The Empress Dowager was born on March 6, 1903 and married Crown Prince Hirohito in 1924. The Heisei Emperor, Akihito, was born on December 23, 1933 as the couple's first son. In total, the Empress Dowager had seven children, nine grandchildren (including Crown Prince, Naruhito, whose wife is Princess Masako,) and eight grand-grand children.
After WWII, the Emperor became a symbol of Japan under the new Japanese Constitution. The Empress Dowager carried out her duties, working to promote the social welfare of Japan and international friendships along with her husband. However, in her later years, she became weak and was unable to participate in any formal ceremonies. It is reported that she suffered from arthritis and senile dementia. To read more about the Empress Dowager, visit the Imperial Family of Japan.
The Imperial Household Agency of Japan is planning the official funeral called "Rensou-no-gi" at the end of July after the Okinawa World Summit is over. The Emperor is said to the principal mourner.
The Imperial Palaces in Tokyo and Kyoto will be closed for sightseeing during the rest of June: Kyoto Imperial Palace: Kyoto Imadegawa and Tokyo Imperial palace: Tokyo Hibiya.
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