８日に「立皇嗣の礼」　新型コロナで７カ月延期―秋篠宮さま皇位継承順位１位

　秋篠宮さまが皇位継承順位１位の皇嗣となられたことを国内外に示す「立皇嗣の礼」が８日、皇居で行われる。皇位継承に伴う一連の行事の締めくくりとして、当初は４月１９日に実施する予定だったが、新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大で延期になっていた。
　関連行事は、５日に天皇陛下が伊勢神宮（三重県）などに使者を派遣する「勅使発遣の儀」で始まる。８日には皇居・宮殿で、秋篠宮さまが皇嗣になったことを陛下が宣言する中心儀式「立皇嗣宣明の儀」と、秋篠宮さまに陛下が会う「朝見の儀」がいずれも国事行為として行われる。皇室に代々伝わる皇太子の守り刀「壺切御剣」を陛下が秋篠宮さまに渡す行事もある。この日、天皇、皇后両陛下と秋篠宮ご夫妻は装束姿で宮中三殿を参拝し、行事挙行を報告。ご夫妻は以後、宮中三殿の殿上に上がって拝礼する。（2020/11/02-14:20）

Japan will hold the "Rikkoshi-no-Rei" ceremonies to proclaim Crown Prince Akishino's rise to first in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne at the Imperial Place in Tokyo on Nov. 8.
   The ceremonies were initially scheduled for April 19 as the last part of a series of rites related to Emperor Naruhito's enthronement in 2019 but were postponed because of the novel coronavirus epidemic.
   They will be preceded by the "Chokushi-Hakken-no-Gi" rite to be held Thursday, in which the Emperor will dispatch envoys to Ise Jingu, a Shinto shrine complex in Mie Prefecture, central Japan, and elsewhere.
   The core proclamation ceremony, the "Rikkoshi-Senmei-no-Gi," in which the Emperor will announce Crown Prince Akishino's rise to first in line to the throne, will take place at the Imperial Palace on Nov. 8 as a constitutional function of the Emperor.
   In the "Choken-no-Gi" rite, also to be held at the Imperial Palace the same day as a constitutional function, the Crown Prince will meet with the Emperor, his elder brother.