Emperor and Empress attend Japan Games in Aomori

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended the opening ceremony and subsequent events of the Japan Games multisport festival in Aomori Prefecture. The opening ceremony, held at the Maeda Arena, marked the first time the event—formerly known as the National Sports Festival—was hosted in an indoor facility.

During the ceremony, the Imperial couple and participating athletes offered silent prayers for victims of recent natural disasters, including the earthquake in Kumamoto Prefecture. In his address, Emperor Naruhito expressed sympathy for survivors and stated, “I expect that the excitement to be created here, coupled with people’s love of sports, will become hopes for the future.”

On Sunday, the Imperial couple watched table tennis matches for boys and girls in Aomori city. Following the matches, they visited several local sites, including a beach developed at a former ferry berth, the Nebuta Museum Wa Rasse, and a local welfare facility where they observed interactions between elderly residents and children.