日本天皇夫婦慶祝金婚

Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko marked their 50th wedding anniversary Friday with a series of celebrations, including a gala party with 100 couples who are also celebrating 50 years of marriage.

The royal couple wed on April 10, 1959, when Akihito was crown prince.

"Throughout our marriage, the empress has understood the significance of my position and duties, and in private life, she has always stood by me and has been very devoted to my family," Akihito, 75, said during a news conference Wednesday ahead of the anniversary, with his 74-year-old wife sitting next to him.

"I know she has encountered sadness and difficulties many times, but the empress has endured them with great patience," the emperor said. "If there is something that I would give her for our 50th wedding anniversary, it would be a certificate of gratitude."

Their wedding was a national sensation that also marked the beginning of Japan's postwar economic boom.

Michiko, who was the first commoner to marry into the royal family, became a national icon of gracefulness and intelligence. She said she felt insecure and anxious to join the royal family, and the 50 years together were "long and hard at times."

"It's like a dream to be able to celebrate the day of our golden wedding right next to the emperor today," Michiko said.

Several events were scheduled to mark the event, including the evening party, a private family dinner and visits with government officials. The public also turned out to sign congratulatory guest books outside Tokyo's Imperial Palace.

Palace life in Japan is deeply shaped by tradition, and members of the imperial family are rarely able to speak their opinions or show their casual side in public.

Japan's royal family has been hit by a spate of illnesses recently, with both Akihito and Michiko cutting back their official appearances because of stress-related health problems. Masako, the wife of their son Crown Prince Naruhito, is still recovering from a form of depression.

日本明仁天皇和皇后美智子於上週五迎來他們的結婚50週年紀念日，當天日本皇室爲此舉辦了一系列慶祝活動，其中包括100對夫婦共慶金婚紀念日的宴會。

天皇夫婦於1959年4月10日喜結連理，當時明仁天皇還是皇太子。

在上週三慶典前夕舉行的新聞發佈會上，75歲的明仁天皇與74歲的皇后並肩而坐。天皇說：“結婚這麼多年來，皇后非常理解我所處的位置和職責的重要性，在個人生活中，她一直很支持我，而且爲我的家庭付出了很多。”

天皇說：“我知道她遇到過很多悲傷和困難，但她都以極大的忍耐力去面對。在我們結婚50週年紀念日之際，如果我有什麼能送給她的話，那就是一份感激。”

明仁天皇和美智子皇后的婚禮當年在日本國內引發了轟動，同時標誌着日本開始步入戰後經濟繁榮。

作爲第一位以平民身份嫁入日本皇室的女子，美智子在日本成爲優雅和智慧的象徵。美智子稱她初入皇室之時感到沒有安全感，並迫切希望融入皇室家庭，這50年對於她來說“有時漫長而艱難”。

美智子說：“今天能與天皇坐在一起，共同慶祝我們的金婚紀念日，真像做夢一樣。”

當天的幾項慶祝活動包括晚會、家庭私人宴會以及與政府官員會面。在位於東京的皇宮外，前來道賀的民衆也在賓客留言簿上寫下了祝福。

日本的皇室生活十分傳統，皇室家庭的成員很少能在公共場合發表意見或表現得很隨意。

最近皇室成員身體欠佳，由於壓力導致的健康問題，天皇夫婦削減了公務活動。他們的兒子皇太子德仁的王妃雅子仍處於抑鬱症恢復之中。

Vocabulary:

commoner:one of the common people（普通人；平民）