IN his first public address after ascending the throne, Japan’s new Emperor Naruhito pledged to follow his father’s example in devoting himself to peace and staying close to the people.
Naruhito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne at midnight after Akihito abdicated.
“When I think about the important responsibility I have assumed, I am filled with a sense of solemnity,” he said.
His wife and daughter, Empress Masako and 17-year-old Princess Aiko, were barred from the ceremony, where only adult male royals participated.
Only his brother and uncle were allowed to witness. Their guests included a female Cabinet minister, however, as the Imperial House Law has no provision on the gender of the commoners in attendance.
The emperor under Japan’s constitution is a symbol without political power. He has previously said he was open to a new role that “suits the times”.
ELSEWHERE, two activists linked to Russian protest group Pussy Riot have successfully appealed against their rejected asylum application and received shelter in Sweden.
Lusine Dzhanyan and Alexei Knedlyakovsky, who have two children, won their appeal of a 2018 ruling, where Swedish authorities said their situation did not justify asylum.
Swedish broadcaster SVT said Dzhanyan and Knedlyakovsky sought asylum in the Scandinavian country a year earlier, claiming they had received death threats and experienced “politically motivated” harassment because of the group’s protests.
MEANWHILE, former Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi has undergone surgery for an intestinal obstruction, raising questions about his European Parliament election campaign.
Berlusconi’s office said the surgery was successful and that the 82-year-old would be released from the hospital within days.
This is the first time Berlusconi has been allowed to challenge for public office following a ban imposed after a 2012 tax fraud conviction. Citing good conduct, a court last year ruled he could take part in elections again.
AND finally, an Australian jury has convicted a man of plotting to blow up an Etihad Airways airliner on a flight from Sydney to the United Arab Emirates with a bomb hidden in a meat grinder.
Khaled Khayat pleaded not guilty in the New South Wales state Supreme Court to conspiring to plan a terrorist act. The jury convicted but has yet to decide whether his younger brother, Mahmoud Khayat, is also guilty of the same charge.
The bomb plot was abandoned because it was too heavy for carry-on luggage.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here