Emperor Akihito`s birthday events curtailed due to cold symptoms

TOKYO, Dec. 22 Kyodo - The Imperial Household Agency said Monday a few events scheduled for Tuesday to mark the 75th birthday of Emperor Akihito will be canceled, while others will be curtailed, saying that the emperor has a cold.
The emperor has started showing such symptoms as a fever and coughs since last
week, according to the agency. Although his fever had gone down by Monday, he
is still suffering from some symptoms, the agency said.
While he will be greeting the general public at the Imperial Palace in the
morning as scheduled, an event has been cancelled at the palace at which his
four grandchildren were to greet him in the evening, according to the agency.
An afternoon tea gathering with ambassadors and former aides will be curtailed.
The emperor will also not attend a traditional ritual to celebrate his birthday
and will have a proxy take his place.
The agency has been considering reducing the workload of Emperor Akihito
through the New Year period after the emperor had to cancel some of his
official duties earlier this month due to irregular pulse and the subsequent
health checks found traces of bleeding and erosion in his stomach and duodenum.
==Kyodo