A man stripped naked and climbed a barrier during the Japanese emperor’s New Year greeting at the Imperial Palace, having announced his plan on social media.
TOKYO: A man disrupted the Japanese emperor’s traditional New Year address by stripping naked in front of the Imperial Palace.
The incident occurred on Friday after Emperor Naruhito had finished delivering his 2026 greeting from a balcony.
According to local media reports, the man in his 20s, who was in the front row of the palace gardens, removed his clothes and climbed over a barrier.
He was immediately restrained by officers from the imperial guard and Tokyo police, who wrapped him in a blanket and led him away.
Investigative sources told broadcaster TBS that the man had announced his intention to streak on social media prior to the annual event.
The event typically features brief remarks from the emperor, who then waves to the crowd alongside the imperial family.
Contacted by AFP, the imperial guard could not immediately confirm the reports.
The Japanese imperial family, once considered divine, renounced that status after World War II.
Historians have long debated the wartime role of Emperor Naruhito’s grandfather, Hirohito.
The family now holds a symbolic role with no political power under Japan’s post-war constitution, and public criticism of the institution remains extremely rare.
