Cheers and screams have filled the air in Tokyo as new Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako made their first greetings to the public, three days after acceding to the throne.
Naruhito's father, Akihito, 85, abdicated the Chrysanthemum Throne on Tuesday in a simple ceremony, the first abdication in 200 years.
Pledging to work as a symbol of the people, the 59-year-old Naruhito was formally invested as emperor the day after.
People queued for hours to see the new emperor and his family stand on a palace balcony and wave to the crowds, greetings that typically take place during the New Year's holiday and the emperor's birthday.
"I pray for your health and happiness, and I sincerely wish for further development of our nation by going hand in hand with other nations and seeking global peace," the emperor said.
The imperial family will greet the crowds six times on Saturday, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Akihito became emperor in 1989 after the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, which set off an extended period of mourning throughout Japan, but the mood has been completely different this time.
The festive mood, which many compared to New Year's, has been fed by an unprecedented 10-day holiday in Japan.
