Japan Ex-Emperor, Empress to Move into New Residence April 26

Tokyo, April 6 (Jiji Press)--Japan’s Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, the parents of Emperor Naruhito, will move into the former Akasaka Imperial residence in Tokyo on April 26, the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday.

The residence will be renamed the Sento Imperial residence after the former Emperor and the former Empress move in.

The couple will stay at the Hayama Imperial Villa in Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, from Tuesday until the day of the move.

The former Emperor, who abdicated on April 30, 2019, and his wife have been living in a temporary residence in Tokyo since March 2020.

According to the agency, renovation work at the former Akasaka Imperial residence, including barrier-free access improvements in the area where the couple will live, finished at the end of last month.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]