New Year’s Greetings Ceremony Held at Imperial Palace; Prince Hisahito Attends for 1st Time

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:00 JST, January 1, 2026

The Emperor and the Empress attended the New Year’s greetings ceremony at the Imperial Palace, where they received greetings from members of the Imperial Family and the heads of the three branches of government.

“I am truly delighted to celebrate the New Year together. At the start of the year, I pray for the happiness of the people and the development of the nation,” the Emperor said.

Prince Hisahito, 19, the son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, attended for the first time following his coming-of-age ceremony in September.