Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko on Wednesday began a three-day tour to Mie Prefecture, their last trip to a local region before the emperor abdicates on April 30.On Thursday, the couple will visit Ise Shrine, which is dedicated to the ancestral deities of the imperial family, to report the abdication.The imperial sword and jewel, two of the family's three sacred treasures that play a key role in the succession, are accompanying the emperor on the visit. The other treasure, a mirror, is always kept at a shrine in the sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.The two treasures are taken…READ FULL ARTICLE
