Japan's Emperor Akihito delivers a speech at the opening ceremonies of the extra Diet session in Tokyo on October 26, 2009. Japan's Emperor Akihito should be able to speak his mind rather than read from a bureaucrat's prepared script when he next opens parliament, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada suggested on October 23. The 75-year-old opens sessions of the Diet legislature, but his prepared messages have been almost identical every time, Okada told reporters later, acknowledging that Akihito under the constitution must steer clear of politics. Getty Images logo Getty Images 1 month ago

Japan's Emperor Akihito delivers a speech at the opening ceremonies of the extra Diet session in Tokyo on October 26, 2009. Japan's Emperor Akihito should be able to speak his mind rather than read from a bureaucrat's prepared script when he next opens parliament, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada suggested on October 23. The 75-year-old opens sessions of the Diet legislature, but his prepared messages have been almost identical every time, Okada told reporters later, acknowledging that Akihito under the constitution must steer clear of politics.

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  1. US President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Japanese Empress Michiko (R) as Emperor Akihito looks on upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  2. US President Barack Obama (L) bows as he shakes hands with Japanese Emperor Akihito (C) and as Empress Michiko (R) looks on upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  3. Japanese Emperor Akihito (C) and Empress Michiko (R) welcome visiting US President Barack Obama (L) as he arrives at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  4. US President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Japanese Empress Michiko (R) as Emperor Akihito (C) looks on upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  5. US President Barack Obama (L) bows as he shakes hands with Japanese Emperor Akihito (C) and as Empress Michiko (R) looks on upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  6. US President Barack Obama (L) shakes hands with Japanese Empress Michiko (R) as Emperor Akihito looks on upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  7. US President Barack Obama (L) prepares to bow as he shakes hands with Japanese Emperor Akihito (R) upon Obama's arrival at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 14, 2009. Billing himself America's first 'Pacific president', Barack Obama on November 14 said the United States did not seek to 'contain' China and promised a full US role in charting Asia's future.
  8. Thousands people wave Japan's national flags as Emperor Akihito (L) and Empress Michiko (R) appear on a large screen during a ceremony to celebrate the 20 years anniversary on the throne at a square in front of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on November 12, 2009.
  9. Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada attends a Diet session in Tokyo on October 26, 2009. Japan's Emperor Akihito should be able to speak his mind rather than read from a bureaucrat's prepared script when he next opens parliament, Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada suggested on October 23. The 75-year-old opens sessions of the Diet legislature, but his prepared messages have been almost identical every time, Okada told reporters later, acknowledging that Akihito under the constitution must steer clear of politics.
  10. China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (L) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada before their meeting in Tokyo November 19, 2009. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang will be in Japan until this Sunday.
  11. China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (L) shakes hands with his Japanese counterpart Katsuya Okada before their meeting in Tokyo November 19, 2009. Chinese Foreign Minister Yang will be in Japan until this Sunday.
  12. US Ambassador John Roos (R), accompanied by Wallace C. Gregson (L), US Assistant Secretary of Defence, arrives at the Japanese Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on November 17, 2009 for talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. Japanese and US high-level officials kicked off talks in a bid to resolve a tense disagreement over the US base realignment in Japan.
  13. US Ambassador John Roos (R) arrives at the Japanese Foreign Ministry in Tokyo on November 17, 2009 for talks with Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. Japanese and US high-level officials kicked off talks in a bid to resolve a tense disagreement over the US base realignment in Japan.
  14. Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada speaks at a press conference at the foreign ministry in Tokyo on November 17, 2009. Japanese and US high-level officials kicked off talks in a bid to resolve a tense disagreement over the US base realignment in Japan. Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa met with US Ambassador John Roos and Wallace C. Gregson, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for the talks.
  15. Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada speaks at a press conference at the foreign ministry in Tokyo on November 17, 2009. Japanese and US high-level officials kicked off talks in a bid to resolve a tense disagreement over the US base realignment in Japan. Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defense Minister Toshimi Kitazawa met with US Ambassador John Roos and Wallace C. Gregson, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for the talks.
  16. US President Barack Obama (L) is seen off by Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada (2nd L) as the US leader prepares to step onto Air Force One to depart from Tokyo's Haneda airport on Novemver 14, 2009. Obama will make a surprise early appearance at the APEC summit dinner in Singapore, after bringing forward his departure from Japan, a US official said.

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