Emperor of Japan visits Toronto

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.