Emperor, Empress to visit Osaka 14-15 Nov; university stop dropped over cyberattack
In short
The Imperial Household Agency announced on 21 October that the Emperor and Empress will visit Osaka Prefecture on 14 and 15 November for the 45th National Sea-Farming Festival. A planned visit to Osaka Metropolitan University was dropped after a cyberattack caused system failures there and the prefecture asked to decline.
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The Imperial Household Agency announced on 21 October that the Emperor and Empress will visit Osaka Prefecture on 14 and 15 November to attend the 45th National Sea-Farming Festival (全国豊かな海づくり大会). Nishi-Nippon Shimbun described the trip as one night and two days. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 7 , 8 ]
On 14 November the couple will travel to Osaka city. Nippon TV and Nishi-Nippon Shimbun reported that they will leave Haneda Airport on a special plane, and Nippon TV said they will arrive at Osaka International Airport and go to their hotel. At the hotel they will view paintings and calligraphy works and meet people from the fishing industry, according to TBS, Sankei and Nippon TV. TBS described the works as outstanding pieces by elementary and junior high school pupils. [ 1 , 5 , 6 , 8 ]
On 15 November they will attend the festival ceremony in Kishiwada, held at Nankai Namikiri Hall according to TBS, and the Emperor will give an address. In the afternoon they will go to Rinku Park in Izumisano for the fish release. TBS and Nippon TV said the fish are kijihata and hirame (flounder). Nippon TV said kijihata, known as akou, is a high-grade fish that the prefecture actively releases. They will then visit Osaka Prefectural Sugawa Higher School for Special Needs Education in Sennan. Mainichi said the school supports employment for people with intellectual disabilities and that the couple will meet pupils. Nippon TV said they will return to Tokyo from Kansai International Airport. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 8 ]
A visit to Osaka Metropolitan University planned for 14 November was cancelled. The agency said a cyberattack caused system failures at the university on 2 October, and the prefecture asked to decline. Asahi, citing the agency, said the large-scale failure began on 2 October and damaged the mail server used for exchanges between the prefecture and the university. It said the prefecture sent its notice of decline on 9 October, saying it wished to avoid any untoward situation. Nippon TV said concerns about information leakage could not be dispelled. Asahi said the couple had been expected to go to the university after arriving at Itami Airport, and called the removal from the schedule an unusual development. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 ]
TBS said the National Sea-Farming Festival is held every autumn, rotating among the prefectures, to raise public awareness of marine conservation and understanding of the fishing industry. Mainichi said it is one of four regional events that the couple customarily attend and that this is the first time Osaka is hosting it. TBS said their last visit to Osaka was for the Osaka-Kansai Expo in October last year, about one year ago. Nippon TV said that visit was combined with a visit to Kyoto Prefecture. [ 1 , 2 , 8 ]
Why it matters
The announcement sets out the itinerary for the couple's Osaka visit. The removal of the university stop shows the cyberattack's effect on a planned official visit, according to the agency as reported by the outlets.
Key facts
- The Imperial Household Agency announced on 21 October that the Emperor and Empress will visit Osaka Prefecture on 14 and 15 November to attend the 45th National Sea-Farming Festival. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- On 15 November they will attend the festival ceremony in Kishiwada, where the Emperor will speak, and then take part in a fish release at Rinku Park in Izumisano. [ 1 , 2 , 5 , 8 ]
- The fish to be released are kijihata and hirame (flounder), according to TBS and Nippon TV. [ 1 , 8 ]
- They will also visit Osaka Prefectural Sugawa Higher School for Special Needs Education. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
- A planned visit to Osaka Metropolitan University on 14 November was cancelled after a cyberattack caused system failures there on 2 October and the prefecture asked to decline. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 ]
- On 14 November they will see paintings and calligraphy works and meet people from the fishing industry at a hotel in Osaka city. [ 1 , 6 , 8 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Emperor and Empress will visit Osaka Prefecture on 14 and 15 November for the 45th National Sea-Farming Festival, the Imperial Household Agency announced. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
- The planned university visit was dropped after a cyberattack caused system failures at Osaka Metropolitan University and the prefecture asked to decline. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 5 , 8 ]
- The itinerary includes a fish release in Izumisano and a visit to Sugawa Higher School for Special Needs Education. [ 1 , 2 , 6 , 8 ]
Still unclear
- Whether any information was leaked in the cyberattack. Nippon TV said concerns about information leakage could not be dispelled; no document says a leak occurred.
- The date of the prefecture's request to decline. Asahi reported the prefecture's notice came on 9 October; the other documents give no date.