Japanese emperor says he is deeply worried over crisis
March 16th, 2011 - 5:57 pm ICT by IANSTokyo, March 16 (IANS) Japanese Emperor Akihito Wednesday made a rare TV appearance in which he said he was “deeply worried” about the crisis facing his country devastated by a giant tsunami following a massive earthquake.
The 77-year-old Japanese emperor went live on TV to make his first public comments on the disaster, under which Japan has been reeling since March 11. He said he was “deeply worried” and added he was praying for the people, BBC reported.
The emperor’s speech came as technicians were forced to leave a reactor in the stricken Fukushima nuclear plant where explosions have taken place in three reactors since Friday.
An earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale rocked Japan Friday, spawning a huge tsunami that slammed its coast and caused considerable damage over large swathes of land.
The official toll is over 3,600, but estimates are that the deaths may cross 10,000.
BBC said TV stations interrupted programming to show the emperor describing the natural disaster as “unprecedented in scale”.
Akihito acceded to the throne in 1989 after the death of his father Emperor Hirohito.
The emperor said: “I hope from the bottom of my heart that the people will, hand in hand, treat each other with compassion and overcome these difficult times.”
–Indo-asian News Service
rd/vt
- Fresh fire at Japan n-plant, emperor deeply worried (Evening Lead) - Mar 16, 2011
- Japan mourns on quake anniversary (Second Lead) - Mar 11, 2012
- Japanese royal couple to visit Fukushima - May 11, 2011
- Pakistan expresses "total solidarity and support" to quake, tsunami-hit Japan - Mar 12, 2011
- Fukushima disaster can't be cited to stop Kudankulam: Scientist - Sep 21, 2011
- Fresh blast in Japan n-plant; 2,000 more bodies found (Third Lead) - Mar 14, 2011
- Japan tsunami toll likely to rise over 1,600 - Mar 12, 2011
- Japan hikes n-plant alert level, IAEA calls it extremely serious (Evening Lead) - Mar 18, 2011
- Quake-hit Japan faces nuclear crisis, toll may cross 10,000 (Third Lead) - Mar 13, 2011
- Japan nuclear meltdown raises concerns in India - Mar 13, 2011
- Japan struggles to cool n-reactors, toll crosses 12,000 (Lead) - Apr 03, 2011
- Japan's emperor celebrates 20 years on the throne - Nov 12, 2009
- US comedian sacked for tweeting Japan jokes - Mar 15, 2011
- 54 Aussies stuck in Japan quake zone - Mar 12, 2011
- Fukushima workers hospitalised with skin lesions after radiation exposure - Mar 24, 2011
Tags: akihito, asian news, bottom of my heart, difficult times, emperor hirohito, explosions, giant tsunami, japanese emperor akihito, massive earthquake, natural disaster, nuclear plant, public comments, rare tv, reactor, reactors, richter scale, service rd, tokyo march, tv appearance, tv stations