the crown? where is the wears the crown? where is the japanese imperial crown? i guess it's very different, isn't it? there are three that nobody has seen but treated with respect, three treasures of the imperial family. there is no crown. that something which they don't have but in the similar way of the crown playing, you have this other parts of the imperial regalia which essentially pay a imperial regalia which essentially paya similar imperial regalia which essentially pay a similar role. as a symbolic role, of course. with japan, doesn't additional element of mystery because these three objects have a p pa re ntly because these three objects have apparently such an old history, also there are location, their details are shrouded in mystery, people don't see them. it is a bit more mystical to the whole imperial family. i was helping my online colleague was writing an article about the treasures, whether speaking to experts, there are very careful and wording about how they

came about but can you explain to oui’ came about but can you explain to our viewers who might not be familiar with these three treasures about those three items, why they're so about those three items, why they're so significant? they are believed to have been inherited by an emperor who took to the throne in 660 bc from the sun goddess. there are three different objects. there are three different objects. the mirror, the sword and the jam. and each of them plays a different role within this myth related to the start of the imperial family. it ties the imperial family back to their origin. and that is, according to the official history, it ties them back to the original emperor jimmu and through that also to the sun goddess amaterasu.”

jimmu and through that also to the sun goddess amaterasu. i think we are seeing the live pictures of the treasures being brought into the room now. as this special edition of bbc world news, where our seeing live pictures from inside the imperial palace where the two boxes have been presented and they were returned by emperor akihito yesterday and will soon be inherited by emperor naruhito, the 126th emperor of japan. you can by emperor naruhito, the 126th emperor ofjapan. you can see the treasures being put on the desk right in front of the new emperor, emperor naruhito, who has officially become the new emperor ofjapan at midnight local time but there will be another ceremony for him to take to the throne formally where we are expected to hear from to the throne formally where we are expected to hearfrom him to the throne formally where we are expected to hear from him as well.

these three treasures, however, as you said, it has a lot of mystery and a lot of history and the fact that the emperor himself apparently has not seen... there is a main body and there are duplicates, replicas, that are enshrined across the country at the grand shrine of ise as well. and here we are seeing the sword and jam. that is right. the mirror is not involved in the ceremony. “— mirror is not involved in the ceremony. —— the joule. mirror is not involved in the ceremony. —— thejoule. it is the most important of the three treasures and is at the ise shrine, the mirror. while i was researching foran the mirror. while i was researching for an online article i was reading

that to lure amaterasu out of the cave where she hid after having a fight with her younger brother, they used the mirror to lure her out and thatis used the mirror to lure her out and that is why it is considered the most precious of the three?m that is why it is considered the most precious of the three? it is a complicated myth. there are all sorts of element but one of the most important is that the sun goddess amaterasu, had a fight with her younger brother and took refuge within the cave and that meant she had taken the light, the brightness away from the universe. it was important that she then returned out of the cave and the mirror a p pa re ntly of the cave and the mirror apparently is what played the role in reflecting her brightness back to her and encouraging her to emerge from the cave, bringing light back to the world. it is a fascinating history. at the same time i think not many people today would know all the historical background to it. the term, three treasures, often used to

describe the three modern items that we cannot live without such as a television, washing machine and so on. that is right. i don't think it really matters that much in some ways. of course there are many experts who know the details about this origin but for many ordinary japanese, what is important is the symbolism of it. showing that this is an imperial family that goes back not just is an imperial family that goes back notjust 2000 is an imperial family that goes back not just 2000 years is an imperial family that goes back notjust 2000 years but is an imperial family that goes back not just 2000 years but for is an imperial family that goes back notjust 2000 years but for many people, believing they do have in some ways a divine origin. we are watching the live pictures from inside the imperial palace. it looks like the two treasures have now left the room and emperor naruhito as well as his younger brother and the imperialfamily well as his younger brother and the imperial family members have left the room. let's bring back in yuko

kato, the digital editor of the bbc‘s kato, the digital editor of the bbc‘s japanese website. you have the three treasures. we know something about it but it is something that many japanese people today probably do not know much detail about. and yet it is such a significant role for the imperial family. yet it is such a significant role for the imperialfamily. as you yet it is such a significant role for the imperial family. as you say, so for the imperial family. as you say, so much of the imperial household is based on some things that are shrouded in the history, and others might say myth. that is not quite clear, it is an amorphous existence and that has been the mainstay and the distinctive feature of the imperial system in this country. watching the ceremony on youtube earlier it is mind blowing that it is possible to do that. but you saw he was in western clothes as he was

yesterday but, also in very private shinto ceremonies it would wear traditional robes that they back over a thousand years. and that mixture or the dichotomy of the modern and the traditional is something that has been a basic characteristic of the imperial family, especially the new couple because they have both studied a broad, which is a first and it is also symbolising most of our existence, like yours and mine, and the way we live, westernised to have lived abroad. but we are traditionallyjapanese lived abroad. but we are traditionally japanese as well and ina way traditionally japanese as well and in a way it is very correct in the way that this emperor of the imperial house is the symbol of modern day japan. i have also

noticed, yuko—san that only male members of the imperial family were present during that ceremony and when emperor naruhito officially ascends to the throne in about 30 minutes his wife will not be allowed to be in the room and this whole abdication has reignited debate about how women of the imperial family play their role in the society. although one cabinet minister, one female cabinet minister, one female cabinet minister is allowed to be on hand and that is a first, considering that there were no female ministers way back when. so gradual baby steps but things do change over time, hopefully. in terms of female emperors, those that are heavily against it talk about dna and things

biological. 0n the other hand, one of the major newspapers here did a survey of the major newspapers here did a survey on of the major newspapers here did a survey on whether people support a female emperor and over 70% to support that including people who are conservative leaning. even among that demographic 70% support a female emperor. so who knows. and for me, personally, i would like to see it happen but who knows. that was yuko kato, the digital editor of the bbc japan. there was yuko kato, the digital editor of the bbcjapan. there are issues of succession, the only child of the new imperial couple, princess aiko

is not in line to the throne. let's bring back in doctor lauren richardson from australian national university. do you think, there were debates about changing the law for princess aiko was born. do you think japan may one day change this rule? i think it is possible and i guess that naruhito would be the emperor to push that. partly because his wife suffered mentally because of the pressure she felt to produce a male heir. he has been outspoken of his criticism of that full it is possible but as said, any changes would be incremental and need to be accompanied by a change of law passed by the diet. i would not rule it out. as we have been saying

earlier he is not allowed to make a political statement. it is a tricky balance, isn't it? if you think that if he wanted a woman to be able to ta ke to if he wanted a woman to be able to take to the phone. it is tricky and i think that he has gotten around this in the pastjust by making state m e nts this in the pastjust by making statements about his wife and what the cause of her illness was. and, sort of, being a little critical in that way. so if he were to speak out a bit more publicly about that it could trigger some pressure from below on the diet and, who knows. if there is a change in political party injapan there is a change in political party in japan that there is a change in political party injapan that could also be a factor, i think. injapan that could also be a factor, ithink. that injapan that could also be a factor, i think. that could lead to some changes. doctor richardson, thank you so much for that. in case you were wondering about the noise

behind us, it is a police guard telling everyone here and there are hundreds of them, hoping to get a glimpse of the new imperial couple, letting them know to make sure that they remain careful. let's bring in laura becker who is among the large crowd. i don't know where she is. —— bicker. laura, they really want a glimpse of the new imperial couple. they really are. they have been here for several hours now and arguing in the sunshine and welcoming in and ushering in a new era. 0hayo gozaimasu!! the only thing we have seen gozaimasu!! the only thing we have seen so gozaimasu!! the only thing we have seen so far is the cars going in and out for the ceremony. many people are bringing out their phones.

when it comes to how the crowd feels and how the people of japan feel there is excitement and celebration. at midnight last night as the new emperor was ushered in and it is officially his new era. there were crowds on the street counting down to reiwa. the here and ready to hear from their new emperor at any time soon. i don't know how you managed to do that, laura, and i will not complain about the reign the sunshine today compared to yesterday's weather. there is quite a lot of difference between this and the british royal family, a lot of difference between this and the british royalfamily, isn't it?

when we compare this to what may be happening in britain and people wondering whether or not there will bea wondering whether or not there will be a new royal baby. they never really get very close. but there is a feeling here that this is an imperialfamily a feeling here that this is an imperial family that have come closer to the people over the last few years and that is very much due to the new emperor's father. he has done a number of first. firstly he married a commoner. secondly he reached out to the people of japan after various disasters, after various tragedies including the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that killed 16,000 people. he and his wife knelt with those who had suffered and lost everything. for people of japan to see that and see their emperor suffering with them, it made a huge difference. internationally, the former and pro— also reached out to japan's enemies and helped to heal japan's enemies and helped to heal japan's wartime reputation. what his child will do is continue on that

legacy. japan is facing a number of issues, as you have been talking about. there is the demographic crisis. a rising number of elderly people and a low birthrate. the economy has not returned to the boumann saw the 1990s. and, internationally, there are various pressures as well with the rise of china and the threat from north korea. it is the united states a reliable ally? these issues taken together and of course the emperor is not a politicalfigure, however as he has seen and we have seen from his father, perhaps he can use his international reputation and his symbol as emperor to reach out to peoplejohn symbol as emperor to reach out to people john japan. —— beyond japan. as he said, the proforma emperor brought the family closer to the public 70 or 80 years ago, soldiers are dying in the name of the emperor. at the same time i was talking to a japanese reporter who asked me the difference between the

british and the japanese royal families. i was telling him that when i was doing a report about, because a pilot a dog to a british colleague about how to start it, she said that intricate young people to draw the face of emperor akihito like a cartoon and as a japanese, that's a complete taboo. there is a clear difference in how the japanese families treated by the public and media, compared to the uk. yes, and i think when it comes to the spotlight, what you've seen from the new emperor and empress is perhaps the pressures they will face, that is similar in the united kingdom and here. but here there every hour of every day, may be dictated for them especially over the next month. when it comes to the new empress exactly, —— especially, she suffered after the birth of her child, the pressure to have a son. how will she deal

with in court on the spotlight? she isa with in court on the spotlight? she is a former diplomat does make diplomat and harvard graduate and ash is going to be empress ofjapan. what kind of rules you take? will she step back to the spotlight? it isa she step back to the spotlight? it is a difficult time for people when it comes to the royal family especially the united kingdom, we are now seeing it here. it's a time when they have to greet the public. today will perhaps a few words from the emperor himself and people look at their first chance on saturday to see the new imperial couple together never get a better idea, a better sense of how they will interact with the people at the point. sense of how they will interact with the people at the pointlj sense of how they will interact with the people at the point. i guess another similarity between the british and the japanese imperial families, royal families would british and the japanese imperial families, royalfamilies would be the interest in the love life of the younger generation of course, we have the princess was the only child, the daughter of the new emperor. we have two princesses out of the new emperor ‘s younger

brother, they are not in line to the throne and they would not allow women to be an emperor. the entire fish of the imperial family lies on shoulders of the 12—year—old princess aikido. when it comes to succession, that's one of the questions is going to happen. and of course the royal gender may play in that. the united kingdom, is something that's been grappled with now, we know in their, and in sweden, the netherlands and also, they are allowed to assent to the throne. 0ne they are allowed to assent to the throne. one of the things that people are wondering on the outside and international community is if people eventually do the samples to buy. people argue here that traditions need to be kept alive but others say it's time to move forward. they have already been a number of us when it comes to what

has already happened with the imperialfamily. has already happened with the imperial family. perhaps it's has already happened with the imperialfamily. perhaps it's time we look forward. as you heard from the earliest bigger, it is step—by—step in many places and perhaps japan needs to take these steps on its own. we are just being moved back here, i'm going to walk along the crowd with my cameraman who is now going to show you how everybody here, they are waiting here in the sun. when it comes to the royal succession, the right —— the royal succession, the right —— the one person they are concerned about is their new emperor. i think in time, we will see how the royal family here develops. you are waving like an imperial family family here develops. you are waving like an imperialfamily member there, our corresponded outside the imperial past, thank you for now. that's bring in our guest, doctor lauren richardson from australia. we we re lauren richardson from australia. we were saying, even though the imperialfamily were saying, even though the imperial family members aren't

allowed to make a political statement, you are saying that they can play a crucial diplomatic role, but as laura and i were saying, as female members of the imperial family, marries a commoner they have to leave the imperial family, meaning the family of the number of imperialfamily meaning the family of the number of imperial family members who can perform those royal duties is really shrinking. yes, and i think that's more of a reasonable change that we could perhaps expect to see to the imperial code of conduct. maybe it would be more realistic to pursue that agenda, to allow women to stay in the imperial family and thereby increase the pool affairs to the throne. that's a possibility, i think. do you think, though, that they will go a step further, as you we re they will go a step further, as you were saying the future of the

imperialfamily lies were saying the future of the imperial family lies on the 12—year—old princess, it's quite a risk. it is risky, and i think it's a bit problematic but the succession to the throne, the process has been has been restrictive over time. with the 1947 has been restrictive over time. with the 19117 constitution, i think they may have to consider relaxing those laws again about succession. doctor lauren richardson from australia, thank you for that. you are watching the special edition of bbc world news from outside the imperial palace here in tokyo. let's bring back in, james brown. we'vejust been talking about whetherjapan will or will not change its law. what is your take on that?”

will or will not change its law. what is your take on that? i think a sensible thing would be to make a change now. to think through the possible scenarios that could take place and to change the laws while she still have this female members of the imperial house unmarried, and therefore still part of the imperial family. if they wait, they could end up family. if they wait, they could end up with a situation where all three of those princesses have married and therefore left the imperial household. therefore, if something, god forbid, happens to the young prince, ina god forbid, happens to the young prince, in a sense it's too late. japan has over its history making dramatic changes when it has to. i suspect that vast there's not really a sense of crisis at the moment, it's perhaps unlikely the significant change will be made at this moment. it is fascinating that there was the debate about changing there was the debate about changing the ball before prince diplomat was born. as soon as he was born, that debate disappeared. —— prince

hisahito. have to emphasise that there are two parts to this mail only law that even if the part where a woman can't be on the throne it's changed, princess aiko, if she had a son, he's not going to be in line to the throne. the imperial blood has to be carried by the male member of the imperial family. to be carried by the male member of the imperialfamily. that's to be carried by the male member of the imperial family. that's right, any change that would have to be made, for would really look to resolve this issue, it would have to be almost a root and branch change to the way the system works. there are so to the way the system works. there are so much opposition to it. i should say that this opposition isn't as early from the broader public. during the mid to thousands when i was talk of making this change, some opinion polls change —— suggested that the japanese public we re suggested that the japanese public were willing to see a change to stop the opposition is also not particularly from the imperial family. it's rather from particularly from the imperial family. it's ratherfrom the political class —— class, the conservative political party, a

party that has a lot of opposition to this. those are quite angry about the gender of quality —— gender equality, it's a political issue, it's about the beliefs and ideology of the ball democratic policy. we had a travelling use over the weekend that two knives were found on the princesses desk. it goes to show how vulnerable the future of the imperial family can show how vulnerable the future of the imperialfamily can be. we have the imperialfamily can be. we have the doctor would happen to those 12—year—old boy. even if he is not protected, there is a risk. there is a risk of someone with mental health difficulties, deciding to attack him. as the risk of illness, is also the risk of the amount of pressure displaces upon his young shoulders. it's just restriction on life

choices he might want to make. the expectation that he has to marry, he has to have male children. despite the happy celebration at the moment, the happy celebration at the moment, the happy celebration at the moment, the happy atmosphere, perhaps dark days for the imperial family are to come at some point in the future. we are now relying on him to get married and he has to have a son in order to have the next generation of male heirs. thank you so much for joining us. and as you've been watching, this is the special edition of abc world news, bringing you five from outside the imperial palace, half—an—hour ago, we saw the ceremony inside their taking place where emperor naruhito inherited the three treasures of the imperial family as we have been discussing. there is no imperial crown here, there are three items, the sword, there are three items, the sword, the mirror, and the jam which she

has now inherited. and at ten past 11, local time in about 15 minutes, there will be a samba need to take to the throne and become the 126th emperor of japan. you have to the throne and become the 126th emperor ofjapan. you have been watching bbc world news live from tokyo. we'll be back at the top of the hour with our continuous coverage from the live event went emperor naruhito takes to the throne. hello there. at the beginning of the week it was 21 degrees in northern scotland. by the end of the week, it's going to be 6 degrees. it's turning colder everywhere. but yesterday, we did have some warm sunshine helping temperatures to 18 or 19 degrees. at the same time, though, we've got this band of cloud here. it's been moving very slowly eastwards, some showery bursts of rain still amongst all that cloud at the moment. ahead of it, some clear skies towards the south—east of england, east anglia, so turning a little bit chilly. but elsewhere, the temperatures a bit higher than they were

the previous night. as we head into the morning, we expect more cloud across scotland, most of any showery rain towards southern areas for the time being. but it should have moved away from northern ireland, a much drier, brighter, and sunnier day, and feeling warmer as well. some pockets of showery rain coming across wales, western england, perhaps into the west midlands, further east, some patchy mist and fog, with those clearer skies for east anglia, the south—east and lincolnshire. it should tend to lift in these areas, dry for most of the day, we are likely to set off a few showers most anywhere really. some of those could be on the sharp side, helped by a little bit of brightness and sunshine, perhaps. temperatures may be a shade lower for most places than they were yesterday. warmer in northern ireland, cooler in northern scotland, where we've still got a few heavy showers around during the evening. a lot of those will tend to fade away further south and skies will tend to clear, so we'll see some mist and fog around too. but nothing too low in terms of temperatures — down to about five or six degrees in quite a few places. as you move into thursday,

we've got some more of these showers, may showers of course. some sunshine around, but those showers developing in quite a few places. they may be heavy and thundery, wet weather moving down across scotland into the north—east of england. the wind direction changes as a sign of things to come. colder air arriving in northern scotland, further south, highs still of 15 or 16 degrees. but as we move into friday, we've still got more cloud moving down into england and wales, where we'll see some heavy showers developing again. but the showers in scotland, they're going to be of a wintry flavour even to some lower levels as well. temperatures of six degrees on friday in northern scotland. 15 for southern parts of england and wales. but that northerly wind, that colder air, is going to come sweeping down across all areas during friday night and into the start of the holiday weekend. so we may start with a touch of frost around. quite a chilly feel in that wind down the eastern side of the uk on saturday, and there may be a few showers around as well. but on the whole, the bank holiday weekend looks dry for many places, and those temperatures recovering by monday.

welcome to bbc news — broadcasting to viewers in north america and around the globe. my name is mike embley. our top stories: japan's emperor naruhito receives the imperial treasures, formally marking his ascension to the throne. i'm mariko 0i — live in tokyo — where in the next few minutes naruhito will give his first address as new emperor. hundreds of people are currently weathering, hoping to catch a glimpse of the new emperor. —— currently gathering. the venezuelan president nicolas maduro says he will be victorious in what he called a coup attempt,