Maneki Neko
05-16-2007, 12:13 PM
Emperor craves long walks; Empress invisibility
<DIV id=credit>The Associated Press
<DIV id=mainbody>
What would the Emperor do if he could shed his weighty crown for a day and roam freely among the common people?
Apparently, nothing.
Emperor Akihito, an avid scientist, said he does sometimes wish he had more time to do research, or "to take long walks."
But, busy though his official duties may keep him, he said he does not spend much time thinking about being anything but what he is.
"There is nothing that comes to mind that I would like to hide my status to do," he said Monday in a rare news conference ahead of a trip next week to the Baltic states, Britain and Sweden.
Read the full story at Japan Times Online (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070516a8.html)
<DIV id=credit>The Associated Press
<DIV id=mainbody>
What would the Emperor do if he could shed his weighty crown for a day and roam freely among the common people?
Apparently, nothing.
Emperor Akihito, an avid scientist, said he does sometimes wish he had more time to do research, or "to take long walks."
But, busy though his official duties may keep him, he said he does not spend much time thinking about being anything but what he is.
"There is nothing that comes to mind that I would like to hide my status to do," he said Monday in a rare news conference ahead of a trip next week to the Baltic states, Britain and Sweden.
Read the full story at Japan Times Online (http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20070516a8.html)