Emperor Naruhito, on the occasion of his 60th birthday on Sunday, thanked the people for supporting him since he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne last year and reiterated his determination to fulfill his symbolic role, while expressing sympathy for those affected by the outbreak of the new coronavirus.He became emperor on May 1, a day after his father, former Emperor Akihito, stepped down as the first Japanese monarch to do so in about 200 years. With the historic transition, Feb. 23 was designated a national holiday in place of the Dec. 23 birthday of the former emperor."One of the most m…READ FULL ARTICLE
