During Emperor Naruhito’s 2026 New Year greeting at the Tokyo Imperial Palace, a man in his 20s reportedly stripped in the gardens and climbed a barrier before being restrained by the imperial guard and Tokyo police, broadcaster TBS reported. The man allegedly announced the stunt on social media; the imperial guard told AFP it could not immediately confirm the accounts. The episode highlights the ceremonial — rather than political — role of Japan’s imperial family, whose divine status was renounced after World War II.
Streaker Disrupts Emperor Naruhito’s 2026 New Year Greeting at Tokyo Imperial Palace
Japan's Emperor Naruhito holds no political power, but the imperial family remains hugely symbolic (Philip FONG)(Philip FONG/AFP/AFP)
Japan's Emperor Naruhito was moments into his 2026 New Year greeting at the Tokyo Imperial Palace when a man in the front row of the palace gardens removed his clothes and vaulted a barrier, local media reported.
Members of the imperial guard and Tokyo police quickly restrained the man, wrapped him in a blanket and escorted him from the scene, according to the reports. Broadcaster TBS said investigators traced the incident to a man in his 20s who had allegedly announced his plan on social media.
Details And Official Response
AFP contacted the imperial guard, which said it could not immediately confirm the reports. Japanese authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and any potential charges or motives, according to local coverage.
Why It Matters
Public appearances by the imperial family are rare moments of national ceremony in Japan. The imperial family holds no political power under the post‑war constitution but retains deep symbolic significance for many Japanese. By tradition the imperial line is said to descend from the sun goddess Amaterasu, though the family's supposed divine status was renounced after World War II.
Historians have long debated the extent of responsibility that Emperor Hirohito — Naruhito’s late grandfather — bore for Imperial Japan’s wartime actions in Asia. Open criticism of the imperial institution remains uncommon in contemporary Japan, making public disruptions at imperial events notable and sensitive.
Authorities have not released the man’s name. Further details on motives and any legal consequences will depend on the ongoing investigation and official statements.
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