Officially, thePacificnationofJapanhashad a newemperorsinceMay, shortlyafterEmperorAkihitoabdicatedorgaveuphisthrone.
Butitwasn't untilthisweekthathisson, not a Ito, madehisenthronementandthatofhiswife.
Official.
Thisistheceremonyinwhich a newJapaneseemperorproclaimshisstatustotheworld.
It's a centuriesoldtraditionfilledwithritualsandattendedbymorethan 100 highrankingofficialsfromaroundtheglobe.
Andit's allfor a positionthat's mostlyceremonial.
Japanisofficially a parliamentaryconstitutionalmonarchy, thoughitsemperoris a symbolofthecountryandtheunityoftheJapanesepeopleitsdecisionmakingpowersinthehandsofelectedpoliticians.
Ofcourse, someofthemwerealsoattheceremony.
WillRipleyexplainstheevent.
ThecurtainopensonJapan's Daiwa.
TheEraofBeautifulHarmony.
Fromatop a pavilioninPineHall, themostprestigiousplaceinTokyo's ImperialPalace, EmperorHirohitoofficiallydeclareshisenthronement, alwayswishingforthehappinessofthepeopleandthepeaceoftheworld.
LegendhasitthatonLeeArthuras a boywasabletodrawthemagicalswordfromthestoneindicatinghewouldbekingand a reallifeswordinthestonewasrecentlylocatedin a riverintheEuropeancountryofBosniaandHerzegovina.
It's beencalledExcaliburlike a weaponfromtheArthurianlegend.
NooneknowshowtheswordgotstuckinIraqabout 36 feetbelowthewatersurface, itwasreportedlyfound, whilearchaeologistswereinvestigating a medievalcastlenearbybecausetheybelieveitdatesbacktothe 13 hundreds, andbecauseitwasstuckin a stone, itwasn't easyforthemtoseparateitandbringittodrylandtherearen't a lotofmedievalswordsfoundinthispartoftheworld.
Scientistssaidtheydon't ratstoplayhideandseek, canreadtobetaughttodrivetheycan't reachthepedalsin a Fordpickup.
Butin a UniversityofRichmondstudy, theyweretaughttodrive.
Theseare, oh, Weise.
That's ratoperatedvehicles.
TheirrewardwasFrootLoops, andtheywerefoundtobebetterdriversifthey'vebeenraisedin a morestimulatingenvironment, like a cagewithtoys, asopposedto a boringlabcagewithoutthem, thelabcageratsreportedlyfailed.