Japan’s Emperor and Empress, Along with Princess Aiko, to Postpone Visit to Iwate, Miyagi Prefs

The Yomiuri Shimbun

20:00 JST, March 24, 2026

The Emperor and Empress, along with their daughter Princess Aiko, have postponed their scheduled visit to Iwate and Miyagi prefectures on Wednesday and Thursday, the Imperial Household Agency announced on Tuesday.

This is the first time that the Emperor has postponed visits to regional areas and within Tokyo due to poor health since his accession.

The cancellation is due to the Emperor and Empress experiencing cold symptoms such as a cough and fever, and the visit is expected to be rescheduled. At this point, a planned visit to Fukushima Prefecture on April 6 and 7 is reportedly still on the schedule.

It is reported that Princess Aiko has no cold symptoms.

Since this year marks the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the Imperial Family planned to visit Iwate Prefecture on Wednesday and Miyagi Prefecture on Thursday to meet with disaster victims.