TOKYO, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Japan's Emperor Naruhito declared his succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne on Wednesday to mark the start of a new imperial era in Japan.
"I have hereby succeeded to the throne pursuant to the Constitution of Japan and the Special Measures Law on the Imperial House Law," the emperor said in his declaration.
"I will act according to the Constitution and fulfill my responsibility as the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people of Japan," he said.
In a ceremony called "Kenji to Shokei no gi" held earlier in the morning, the 59-year-old emperor, dressed in a formal black suit, inherited the imperial regalia as proof of his ascension to the throne.
The regalia, known as "Sanshu no Jingi," constitutes the sacred mirror, sword and jewel.
In the ritual, the new monarch received the jewel and a replica of the sword, along with the state and privy seals. At the same time, an aide of the emperor was scheduled to visit a shrine inside the Imperial Palace where a replica mirror is kept.
According to local media reports, the original mirror is kept at Ise Jingu, a Shinto shrine in Mie Prefecture in central Japan, and the original sword at Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya in nearby Aichi Prefecture.
