Emperor Akihito, who at 78 is recuperating from heart surgery last month, will attend a memorial service in Tokyo on March 11 for the 20,000 victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the Imperial Household Agency said.
Emperor Akihito, who at 78 is recuperating from heart surgery last month, will attend a memorial service in Tokyo on March 11 for the 20,000 victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami, the Imperial Household Agency said.
The emperor and Empress Michiko will attend the state event marking the anniversary of the March 11, 2011, disaster for about 20 minutes, half of what was originally scheduled.
It is still possible that the emperor may have to cancel his attendance if his condition deteriorates, the agency said on March 9. He expressed his intention to attend the ceremony before he underwent coronary artery bypass surgery on Feb. 18.
The agency concluded that the emperor would be able to attend the event after consultation with his team of doctors at the University of Tokyo and Juntendo University based on a checkup on March 9 at the Imperial Household hospital.
The agency said the emperor’s condition is gradually improving but that he still complains of shortness of breath. After he was discharged from the University of Tokyo Hospital on March 4, he suffered a loss of appetite and other side effects of the surgery.