Japanese Man Strips Naked, Climbs Over Barrier During Emperor Naruhito's New Year Greeting

Last Updated:January 02, 2026, 18:43 IST

The man in the front row of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo removed his clothes and climbed over a barrier, after which he was immediately restrained by security forces.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito (left), Empress Masako (second from left) and other members of the imperial family at the New Year celebration ceremony. (AFP)

In a bizarre incident, a Japanese man stripped naked in the front row and climbed over a barrier while Emperor Naruhito was addressing the crowd during his traditional New Year greeting at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

As Emperor Naruhito finished his greeting from the balcony, the man in the front row in the gardens below removed his clothes and climbed over a barrier, after which he was immediately restrained by officers from the imperial guard and Tokyo police.

Officers wrapped the man in a blanket and escorted him away from the site. Investigative sources told broadcaster TBS that the man in his 20s, who was not named, had announced on social media his intention to strip naked at the annual address.

Emperor Naruhito and his family waved to a crowd of flag-waving New Year’s well-wishers gathered at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Friday. Standing with his wife Masako and the rest of the royal family, he wished a happy new year to people lined up below the palace balcony, some shouting, “banzai" — Japanese for “long live."

The annual New Year’s appearance by the emperor and his family draws huge crowds to the palace’s usually cloistered grounds in central Tokyo. People stand in long lines, weathering the cold, for each of the five appearances during the day, highlighting the popularity of the imperial family.

The event includes brief remarks from the emperor, who then waves to the crowd with the rest of the imperial family from the balcony. Since 1945, historians have debated to what extent Naruhito’s late grandfather, Hirohito, was responsible for Imperial Japan’s war of aggression in Asia during World War II.

The family now holds no political power under the post-war constitution but remains hugely symbolic. Public criticism of the institution is extremely rare.

In a statement released in advance, Naruhito noted that last year marked 80 years since the end of that war. He stressed the importance of the message of peace, given that war and strife continued in parts of the world. “I deeply feel it’s important to continue with efforts among people for dialogue, trying to deepen mutual understanding, so we can build a world of peace," he said in the statement.

Princess Aiko, the imperial couple’s only child, appeared with her parents at this year’s greeting, as did other relatives. She is at the centre of a national debate about rules allowing only men to inherit to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

(with inputs from agencies)

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