Emperor greets well-wishers in New Year's greetings at palace

TOKYO, Jan. 2 Kyodo - Emperor Akihito offered his annual New Year's greetings to well-wishers who
gathered at the Imperial Palace on Friday.
''I am concerned that there may be many people who are having problems at the
beginning of the New Year due to the severe economic conditions,'' the emperor
said from the balcony of the Chowa-Den wing of the palace, just past 10 a.m.,
overlooking the crowd. ''I hope this year will be a good year for all of you,
as much as is possible.''
About 75,800 people gathered at the palace.
Empress Michiko and other imperial family members, including Crown Prince
Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako as well as Prince Akishino and his wife
Princess Kiko, joined the emperor on the balcony.
The family appeared for a total of five greeting sessions, reduced from the
customary seven held until last year to ease the burden on the 75-year-old
emperor, who cancelled some official duties in December for health reasons.
Crown Princess Masako, who has long been suffering from stress-induced illness,
joined all the greeting sessions along with other family members for the first
time in six years, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
The emperor had to cancel some of his official duties in December due to an
irregular pulse, and subsequent health checks found traces of bleeding and
inflammation in his stomach and duodenum.
==Kyodo