The unprecedented earthquake-tsunami disaster sage in Japan has had many facets to it; most of them tragic. One of the most poignant might be how it has inspired the notoriously secretive royal family in Japan to appear in public more. The Emperor of Japan, Akihito, and his wide, Empress Michiko, recently visited with people who evacuated from the worst-hit parts of Japan to a shelter in Tokyo.
Here are some photos from this unusual event.

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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuees from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, at Tokyo Budoh-kan, currently an evacuation shelter, in Tokyo Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with an evacuee from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, at Tokyo Budoh-kan Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visit Tokyo Budoh-kan in Tokyo Reuters
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuee from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Tokyo Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuees from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at Tokyo Budoh-kan Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuees from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at Tokyo Budoh-kan Reuters
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Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko talk with evacuee from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Tokyo Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito talks with evacuee from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami at Tokyo Budoh-kan Reuters
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Japan's Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visit evacuees from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami, at Tokyo Budoh-kan in Tokyo Reuters
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