HIS Majesty King Mswati III yesterday honoured a special invitation to visit the Emperor of Japan.
Accompanied by Inkhosikati LaNgangaza, the king was chauffeured in a black royal limousine to the palace where they were welcomed by the 81-year-old emperor Akihito who sits on the Chrysanthemum Throne.
The Empress was by his side. The two monarchies met privately for some time before they retired for the day.
According to the Constitution of Japan, Akihito is a "symbol of the state and the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power." The current emperor of Japan has official duties that include receiving foreign dignitaries, awarding decorations to Japanese citizens, convening the Diet, and officially appointing the prime minister as selected by the Diet.
If he has time, the Emperor works on his biological studies. He is a world-class expert on goby fish, and has published 38 peer-reviewed scientific papers on the topic.
History of Emperors from 1868 – present:
1867 to 1912 Emperor Meiji
1912 to 1926 Emperor Taisho
1926 to 1989 Emperor Showa
1989 to present Emperor Akihito
(To be posthumously named Emperor Heisei)
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