Elaborate throne for Japan’s next emperor arrives in Tokyo

TOKYO (AP) – The monumental imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor has arrived in Tokyo from an ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time, officials said Wednesday.

Crown Prince Naruhito will become Japan’s next emperor on May 1 of next year, the day after his 84-year-old father, Emperor Akihito, abdicates.

The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019, when Naruhito formally announces his succession. Naruhito will ascend to the elevated, octagonal structure to proclaim his enthronement before selected guests from around the world.

The 6.5-meter-high (21-foot-high) canopied structure, decorated with lacquerware, gold and other ornaments, has been used for coronations and other key imperial rituals since around the eighth century, according to the Imperial Household Agency. It was last used by Akihito in 1990 and has since been stashed away at the Kyoto palace.

The structure was taken apart for its delivery to Tokyo, where it will be repaired, fine-tuned and reassembled by March, the palace said. It comes with a similar structure for Naruhito’s wife, Masako, the next empress. Together, the structures are made up of 3,000 parts.

The 58-year-old Naruhito will be the 126th emperor of one of the world’s oldest monarchies. He will be Japan’s first emperor born after World War II.

This April 17, 2018, photo shows Takamikura throne, left, and Michodai, a curtained platform, placed at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

The current structure was built for his great-grandfather Taisho’s coronation in 1915 and was also used for his grandfather Hirohito, who was revered as the god of Shinto until the end of World War II, which Japan fought in his name.

At the time of Akihito’s coronation, the throne had to be airlifted by a Japanese Self-Defense Force helicopter in a highly secretive operation amid protests by extremists who said the throne’s use in a state ceremony violated the constitutional separation of state and religion.

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This April 17, 2018, photo shows Takamikura throne, left, and Michodai, a curtained platform, placed at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

This April 17, 2018, photo shows Takamikura throne, left, and Michodai, a curtained platform, placed at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

FILE - In this Nov. 12, 1990, file photo, Japan's Emperor Akihito reads an address on Takamikura throne as he formally ascends to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

FILE – In this Nov. 12, 1990, file photo, Japan’s Emperor Akihito reads an address on Takamikura throne as he formally ascends to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP, File)

In this Aug. 20, 2018, photo, Takamikura throne, left, is disassembled at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, to be transported to Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this Aug. 20, 2018, photo, Takamikura throne, left, is disassembled at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, to be transported to Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, photo, packs containing parts of Takamikura throne are loaded onto a truck at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, to be transported to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, photo, packs containing parts of Takamikura throne are loaded onto a truck at the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, to be transported to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this late Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, photo, trucks carrying parts of Takamikura throne leave a gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, for the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

In this late Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018, photo, trucks carrying parts of Takamikura throne leave a gate of the Kyoto Imperial Palace in Kyoto, western Japan, for the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018, from the ancient imperial palace more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

Trucks carrying parts of Takamikura throne enter a gate of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo upon arrival from the Kyoto Imperial Palace Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan's new emperor arrived in Tokyo from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

Trucks carrying parts of Takamikura throne enter a gate of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo upon arrival from the Kyoto Imperial Palace Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2018. The special imperial throne for the coronation of Japan’s new emperor arrived in Tokyo from the ancient imperial palace in Kyoto more than a year ahead of time. The Takamikura throne will be used at a ceremony in October 2019 when Crown Prince Naruhito formally announces his succession. (Kyodo News via AP)

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