全国植樹祭、来年に延期　園遊会も見送り検討―新型コロナ

　新型コロナウイルス感染拡大の影響で、天皇、皇后両陛下が出席される予定だった５月の全国植樹祭が来年に延期される見通しであることが１日、関係者への取材で分かった。
　全国植樹祭は両陛下が臨む四つの主要地方行事の一つで、今年は島根県大田市で５月３１日に開催が予定されていた。１９５０年の第１回以降毎年行われており、延期は初めて。同２７日に予定されている両陛下主催の春の園遊会も、感染拡大の状況を踏まえ、見送りが検討されている。
　春の叙勲も、皇居・宮殿で天皇陛下自らが勲章を手渡す大綬章親授式などは実施するが、受章者がまとめて陛下に会う「拝謁（はいえつ）」は行わない方向で検討が進められている。（2020/04/01-15:16）

An annual national tree-planting festival in May, scheduled to be attended by Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, is likely to be postponed until next year amid the coronavirus pandemic, informed sources said Wednesday.
   The event is one of four major annual regional events attended by the Imperial couple. This year's national tree-planting festival is slated to be held in the city of Oda, Shimane Prefecture, western Japan, on May 31.
   It would be the first time for the event to be postponed since it started in 1950.
   This year's spring garden party, scheduled for May 27 and to be hosted by Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, may also be put off amid the viral outbreak, according to the sources.
   A spring decoration ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward, in which Emperor Naruhito confers medals to people with remarkable achievements in various fields, will be held as scheduled. But an event for honorees to meet the Emperor together as a group is likely to be canceled, the sources said.