Japan's Empress Emerita Michiko Celebrates 88th Birthday

Japan's Empress Emerita Michiko celebrated her 88th birthday on Thursday with her family.
In the morning, a car carrying Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako was seen entering a compound in the Akasaka Estate where the Empress Emerita lives with her husband, Emperor Emeritus Akihito.
The Imperial Household Agency says that Crown Prince and Princess Akishino also visited her.
No event was held to celebrate the Empress Emerita's birthday in recent years due to the coronavirus pandemic and for other reasons.
This year's birthday event was held on a small scale, and only members of the Imperial family and their close aides were invited.
In August, the Empress Emerita was diagnosed as having deep vein thrombosis in her right calf.
Officials say the Empress Emerita has been taking extra care to keep herself hydrated, and she and her husband take strolls in the morning and late afternoon for light exercise.