Emperor Naruhito, on the occasion of his 62nd birthday on Wednesday, called on people in Japan to keep "a fire of hope" burning in their hearts and support each other in the face of challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
The emperor also said he felt thankful to health care workers and the many people who have battled against the prolonged pandemic, while offering condolences for the losses suffered in the past year.
"The difficult situation continues, but I strongly believe that it is possible to overcome this severe reality with patience by caring for each other, sharing each other's pain and making efforts to support each other," he said during a press conference held at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo ahead of his birthday.
While saying the pandemic has made it difficult for him to meet directly with people, the emperor said he hopes everybody will cherish the bonds they have with each other this year.
The emperor usually greets the public at the Imperial Palace to celebrate the occasion, but his birthday address was canceled for the third year in a row to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
In the press conference, he expressed wishes that his niece former princess Mako will "lead a happy life" after her marriage to commoner Kei Komuro in October. But the emperor said he felt sorry for "causing concern to many people" as the union followed years of controversy over a money dispute involving the husband's family.
Mako Komuro, 30, who relinquished her royal status upon marriage, moved to New York with her husband in November.
The Imperial Household Agency revealed prior to the marriage that the former princess had been diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder following a string of media reports and online comments about the financial dispute.
"Generally speaking, when voicing an opinion about somebody, I think it is necessary to keep in mind that it may hurt people's feelings or positions at times," he said.
Regarding his immediate family, the emperor said he would continue to support his wife Empress Masako, 58, who has long been battling a stress-induced illness.
He said he was glad that his only child Princess Aiko, a student at Gakushuin University in Tokyo, has concluded her coming-of-age events after she turned 20 in December.
"As an adult member of the imperial family, I would like her to cherish and fulfill each of her duties," the emperor said.
Asked about last summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, the emperor expressed appreciation to the staff, volunteers and medical workers who made the games possible following a one-year postponement due to the pandemic.
He said he was moved when he saw athletes from different countries interacting with each other during the Tokyo Games as well as the just-concluded Beijing Winter Olympics.
"While there exist various tensions between countries, I hope interactions between people can go beyond borders of countries and regions, leading to a peaceful world where everybody can accept each other."
