Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attended a national tree-planting ceremony in Aichi Prefecture on Sunday as their first official duty outside Tokyo since the emperor ascended the throne on May 1."It is our important mission to grow a healthy forest for the next generation," Emperor Naruhito said in a speech at the National Arbor Festival.The event makes up one of the main festivals the emperor has traditionally attended in Japan along with the National Sports Festival and the Festival for the Cherished Sea.It was the first speech at the event by the emperor since it was discontinued in …READ FULL ARTICLE
