TOKYO — Japan’s Emperor Akihito attended a ceremony on Sunday to mark the 30th year of his reign while calling for the country to embrace openness in a more globalized world. The government-sponsored ceremony at the National Theater in Tokyo was attended by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Empress Michiko. “Japan has long cultivated its own culture as an island nation,” the 85-year-old emperor said. While his official duties have been scaled back somewhat, he still receives visiting dignitaries, attends ceremonies and makes official visits. Inside the palace, he also performs private rituals of Shintoism, the indigenous religion intertwined with Japan’s imperial family.

Source: National Post February 24, 2019 07:00 UTC