UPI en Español  |   UPI Asia  |   About UPI  |   My Account
Search:
Go

Japan's emperor and empress visit Victoria

|
 
Published: July 11, 2009 at 12:53 PM

VICTORIA, British Columbia, July 11 (UPI) -- Emperor Akihito returned for a visit to Victoria, Canada, where he spent his first night away from Japan as a crown prince in 1953, officials said.

Akihito Friday greeted an estimated 500 cheering supporters as he and Empress Michiko toured Victoria's Government House and the Richmond Olympic Oval, The Vancouver Sun reported Saturday.

Akihito, 75, last was in Victoria as a 19-year-old crown prince en route to the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London.

Akihito had fond memories of Victoria and wanted his wife to see the region, embassy officials said.

Kazuyo Iga, who moved to Victoria from Osaka, Japan, two years ago, was along those greeting the royal couple Friday.

"It was so nice to see them so close," Iga said. "They are very special people."

Topics: Emperor Akihito, Empress Michiko
© 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
'Star Trek Into Darkness' screening NBC upfronts Met Ball 2013
'Great Gatsby' premieres in New York Spire raised on top of One WTC 2013: Celebrity break ups and divorces
Additional Top News Stories
1 of 14
The 2013 Billboard Music Awards
View Caption
Singer Miley Cyrus arrives at the 2013 Billboard Music Awards held at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on May 19, 2013. UPI/Jim Ruymen
fark
Photo of monster sized hailstones that fell out of the sky in Oklahoma City today
Sarah Palin did not see this coming
Two puppies devoured by king cobra after falling into well. Sorry, did I say devoured? I meant saved...
Home invader learns THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban looking for fan submissions for new uniforms. Surely Fark can...
Where eternal damnation for gays never made sense, Twitter users going to hell is perfectly reasonable...