Mobile UPI  |   About UPI  |   UPI en Español  |   UPI Arabic  |   UPIU  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Emperor of Japan visits Toronto

|
|
 
  
Published: July 9, 2009 at 4:25 PM

TORONTO, July 9 (UPI) -- Emperor Akihito of Japan, accompanied by Empress Michiko on their Canadian tour Thursday, visited Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children.

The couple were behaving far more informally than they would in Japan, the Toronto Star reported. When they arrived at the Royal York hotel Wednesday, they waved to a crowd of Japanese-Canadians gathered to greet them and worked the rope line, shaking hands.

"It is a very honorable moment. My son shook hands with the emperor. That is a lifetime memory," said Minoru Komori. "In Japan, the emperor is highly regarded and they usually sit in a very protected manner."

At the hospital, the empress discussed badminton with Jessica Dorchik, a 10-year-old organ transplant patient.

The couple spent six days in Ottawa in a trip to mark the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Japan and Canada.

Topics: Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko
Recommended Stories
© 2009 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Order reprints
  
Join the conversation
Most Popular Collections
The Tibetan Moniam Festival in China Super Bowl XLVI ticker tape victory parade The making of the Oscars
The Chicago Auto Show The Most Desirable Women of 2012 Tu Bishvat Migron settlement
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 25
Meryl Streep and Colin Firth attend the "BAFTA" ceremony in London
View Caption
fark
Due to unpopular demand, the US Mint will make but not circulate Presidential $1 coins beginning...
Someone broke into my garage last and went through some boxes, but didn't take end up taking anything....
An adult novelty store is not the best place to forget your wallet. Especially when you just pulled...
All hail the Wheelbarrow of Resurrection
Need some extra cash to help pay your mortgage? Turn your house into an ugly ass billboard
74-year-old man conducting survey on penis size unfortunately chooses two undercover cops as subjects...