On Wednesday, June 10, 2015, Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan attended a memorial service at Kannonzaki Park in Yokosuka in the Kanagawa Prefecture to commemorate the “…commercial vessel sailors..” who died during the Pacific Theater of World War II.

On Friday, June 5, 2015, Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan held a farewell audience with the President of the Philippines, Mr. Benigno Aquino, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

During President Aquino’s four-day state visit to Japan he received Japan’s highest honor, the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum, from Emperor Akihito.

On Wednesday, June 3, 2015,Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan met with the President of the Philippines, Mr. Benigno Aquino, at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

According to the newspaper, Philippine Star, President Aquino received:

“…Japan’s highest honor, the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum. The award was previously accorded to former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and members of Britain’s royal family, including Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and Prince William.

In return, Aquino bestowed the Order of Lakandula Grand Collar (Supremo) on Emperor Akihito, for his contributions to strengthening and pushing forward the relations between Japan and the Philippines.” 

In the evening, the Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted a gala dinner in honor of President Aquino’s four-day state visit to Japan.

On Thursday, May 28, 2015, Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan attended the 50th anniversary celebrations of Kodomo-no-Kuni (Children’s Land) Amusement Park in Yokohama, Japan.

The Japanese newspaper, Asahi Shimbun, notes that the “…amusement park was constructed by the congratulatory money from across Japan when the emperor and empress were newlyweds…”

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, Their Imperial Majesties Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko of Japan arrived at the Peace Monument in Yokoami Park in Tokyo to remember the 100,000 victims of the Great Tokyo Air Raid.

“The Imperial Couple laid bouquets of white chrysanthemums in front of tablets commemorating those who died…” notes the Japan Times.  Today’s visit was “…part of a series of trips the Emperor and Empress have made to pay tribute to the war dead on the occasion of the 70th anniversary [of the ending World War II].”

On Tuesday, May 26, 2015, Their Imperial Highnesses Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako of Japan arrived at The National Art Center in Roppongi (a district in Tokyo) to view the exhibition, Musée du Louvre: Peinture de Genre – Scènes de la vie Quotidienne.

The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the The National Art Center, Musée du Louvre, Nippon Television Network Corporation,  and Yomiuri Shimbun, consists of:

“…83 works that were carefully selected from the Musée du Louvre’s massive collection, traces the development of genre painting across four centuries, from the Renaissance to the mid-19th century. In addition to Vemeer’s ‘The Astronomer’, which will be shown in Japan for the first time, the exhibition presents works by prominent painters from every era and region including Tiziano, Rembrandt, Murillo, Watteau, Chardin, and Millet, allowing viewers to enjoy the diverse charms of genre painting.”

Musée du Louvre: Peinture de Genre – Scènes de la vie Quotidienne will be open to the public until June 1, 2015.