Empress Michiko

, formerly  , is the wife of Japan's Emperor Emeritus Akihito.Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "Michiko" in Japan Encyclopedia, p. 627. 

Early life
Michiko Shōda was born at University of Tokyo Hospital in Tokyo.  She is the eldest daughter of Hidesaburo Shōda and Fumiko Soejima, president and later honorary chairman of Nisshin Flour Milling Company.

In 1957, she earned a BA degree at the University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo.Hoover, Willian D. (2011). Historical Dictionary of Postwar Japan, p. 16.

Marriage
Shōda married Crown Prince Akihito in 1959.
When she married, she became Crown Princess Michiko.  She became Empress Michiko in 1989 when her husband became Emperor.

Empress Michiko is the mother of two sons and a daughter.

 Titles and Styles 
20 October 1934-10 April 1959: Miss Michiko Shoda

10 April 1959-7 January 1989: Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess or Her Imperial Highness The Crown Princess Michiko

7 January 1989-30 April 2019: Her Majesty The Empress of Japan

1 May 2019-present Her Majesty The Empress Emerita 

 Family 
 Name  Birth  Marriage  Children Naruhito, Emperor of Japan  23 February 1960  9 June 1993  Masako Owada  Princess Toshi Fumihito, Prince Akishino  30 November 1965  29 June 1990  Kiko Kawashima  Princess Mako of AkishinoPrincess Kako of AkishinoPrince Hisahito of Akishino Sayako, Princess Nori  18 April 1969  15 November 2005  Yoshiki Kuroda 

Health
In August 2019, it was revealed that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in July 2019. Empress Michiko had cancer surgery in September of the year.

Related pages
 Japanese empresses
Emperor of Japan
Imperial Household Agency

References

Other websites

Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress at Kunaicho.go.jp
 "Empress Michiko turns 77, and is feeling her age" at Asahi.com 

Category:Japanese imperial family
Category:1934 births
Category:Living people
Category:People from Tokyo
Category:Empresses consort
Category:Crown Princes and Princesses of Japan
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