Japan’s new emperor gives opening speech to renovated parliament

Emperor Naruhito has delivered his first opening speech to Japan’s parliament after recent elections and a renovation at the upper house to improve its accessibility for two new legislators who use wheelchairs.

Naruhito rose from a chair decorated with gold and a chrysanthemum emblem and declared to legislators from both houses gathered at the upper house assembly hall: “I earnestly hope that the Diet, as it handles various domestic and overseas issues, will sufficiently carry out its responsibility as the highest institution of sovereignty and respond to the people’s trust.”

Prime minister Shinzo Abe’s ruling bloc secured a majority in the July 21 elections but fell short of the two-thirds threshold in the house needed to reach his long-cherished goal of amending the constitution. The parliamentary session ends next week before a fuller session reopens in the autumn.

Two legislators in the upper house use wheelchairs: Yasuhiko Funago has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and Eiko Kimura has cerebral palsy. They represent an opposition group led by actor-turned-politician Taro Yamamoto.

Ahead of Thursday’s session, dubbed “barrier-free Diet”, the government installed a slope and created enough space to accommodate the two whose conditions require larger wheelchairs and care givers.

“I’m thankful to the upper house for their effort to remove physical obstacles, but there are many other things that have been left undone,” Ms Kimura said as she arrived at the upper house entrance, where she was welcomed by dozens of cheering supporters.

“We will tackle those issues at the parliament.”

Mr Funago, through an aide who translated his words by tracking his eye movement as they scanned a character matrix on a transparent sheet, said he wants to “live up to expectations of everyone”.

The two said they would seek reforms in education and care giving for the disabled to promote a more inclusive society.