AN EMPEROR’S DEATH

Evening Star, Issue 19441, 27 December 1926, Page 5

AN EMPEROR’S DEATH

THRONE OF JAPAN

PRINCE HIROHITO TO SUCCEED

Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright,

TOKIO, December 24

Official: The Emperor of Japan is dead. Prince Hirohito, aged twentyseven years, will succeed his father, Yoshihito, as Emperor. In order to observe the law, which provides that the throne cannot be vacant, the ceremony of transferring the sacred treasures, of which the Emperor is the custodian, occurred automatically immediately after the physicians’ "final announcement was made, first to the Regent, then to the Empress and family, gathered at the palace, and thereafter to Baron Makino (Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal) and the Privy Counsellors and Ministers of State, whose presence at the ceremony of the transfer of the treasures is necessitated by the Imperial law.

The fatal termination of the Emperor’s illness had been so Jong anticipated that the minor details had been prearranged for the removal of the Royal body along three miles of winding shore road, through a succession of fishing villages, to a station at Idzushi, whence it was entrained thirty-eight miles to Tokio station, fronting the Imperial palace grounds.^ Within a reasonable time from now the Emperor may command the attenance of the Imperial Counsellors, Go vernmental dignitaries and officials, probably at the Imperial palace, wherewith all ancient ceremony the Emperor and Empress will ascend the ancestral throne, and His Majesty will announce that ho will strive to glorify virtues and follow the example of his illustrious ancestors. After that the Prime Minister will pledge the loyalty of his subjects to Emperor Hirohitoand the Empire.

[Yosihito Harunomiya was horn on August 3, 1879. He was the third son of the late Emperor Mutsuhifco, and succeeded on the death of Ids father on July 30, 1912, having been nominated heir-apparent in 1837. He was married on May 10, 1900, to Princess Sadako, daughter of Prince Knjo Michitaka. His Majesty had three sons—Hirohito Michinomiya, horn April 29, 1901; Tashuhito Atsnnomiya, horn Juno 25, 1902; and Nobuhito Tcrunomiya, horn January 3, 1905.]

KING GEORGE’S SYMPATHY.

LONDON, December 25

King George has sent a message to Tokio coin-eying sympathy with the Japanese Royal Family, and lias commanded Court mourning to ho worn for three weeks.