Japan's Emperor Proclaims Enthronement at Ceremony of Accession

Japan’s Emperor Naruhito carried out an “ancient-style” ceremony to proclaim his enthronement on Tuesday, October 22, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

Tuesday’s Ceremony of Accession was an official declaration of the emperor’s enthronement, carried out in front of about 2,000 guests, reports said. People from more than 180 countries gathered to witness the event.

The emperor took the throne on May 1, but the “official declaration” has only come now. Local media said several ceremonies are held to mark the new “imperial era,” but the Ceremony of Accession is considered the “most elaborate.”

“Having previously succeeded to the Imperial Throne in accordance with the Constitution of Japan and the Special Measures Law on the Imperial House Law, I now perform the Ceremony of Enthronement at the Seiden State Hall and proclaim my enthronement to those at home and abroad,” Naruhito said in a statement.

This video, shared by the Prime Minister’s Office of Japan, shows the emperor sitting at the Chrysanthemum Throne and Empress Masako sitting on a throne next to him. In the video, Emperor Naruhito makes his official address as the audience looks on. Credit: Prime Minister’s Office of Japan via Storyful