Emperor Akihito and other members of the imperial family are unlikely to attend the Beijing Olympics amid concerns here about China's crackdown in Tibet and other issues, a report said Wednesday. The government thinks it is not a good time for a rare royal visit because of the unrest in Tibet, a recent health scare over Chinese-made "gyoza" dumplings and a spat over disputed gas fields, the Sankei daily said.
"We were planning not to ask royals to go even before the gyoza incident surfaced in January. It is all the more true now that the Tibetan unrest occurred," it quoted an unnamed government official as saying.
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao invited Emperor Akihito and other royals to the opening ceremony of the August Olympics when he visited Japan last year.
The emperor told Wen then that the government decides on the royal family's foreign trips, a palace spokesman said.
The foreign ministry said no formal decision had been made. "Nothing has been decided regarding the attendance of dignitaries," a ministry official said.
The last trip to China by members of Japan's imperial household was a landmark visit by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko in 1992.
© AFP
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jammer
"The emperor told Wen then that the government decides on the royal family’s foreign trips, a palace spokesman said."
Japanese for "NO". Classic J diplomacy.
Bogi
Yeah, right. Those of us in the know are well aware that the emp already had other plans.
He has decided to officially change his name to Acky, and is going to spend the summer studying English in New York to escape the spotlight for a while.
usaexpat
If it's over Tibet that's good by me. Let's deny the PRC the world coming out party they so badly want. Independence for Tibet and Taiwan while were at it. Boycott the Olympics
OssanII
Tibet is one thing but was the Emperor planning to eat frozen gyoza over there? Seriously, I think that the J-Emp should go to Beijing, making it clear that way back his father ran a fascist militant country that invaded and occupied other countries too, and that Japan is a much better happier country now. China should learn the joys of democracy.
M51T
US Expat, let's all boycott their Olympics, but continue buying Chinese made goods. Yeah, that's a grand political posture.
Shumatsu_Samurai
It's a sensible one. It makes a point without anyone getting hurt/losing their jobs.