The government has decided to order a convertible from a Japanese automaker, to be used for a parade next autumn in which the new Emperor and Empress will greet the public.
Called Shukuga Onretsu no Gi, the parade will be held following the Sokuirei Seiden no Gi ceremony scheduled for Oct. 22, 2019, where the new Emperor proclaims his enthronement. The new Emperor and Empress will then parade in the open vehicle from the Imperial Palace to the Crown Prince's Residence, both in Tokyo.
For the parade held when the current Emperor ascended the throne in 1990, the government purchased a black Rolls Royce convertible for about 40 million yen (about 350,000 dollars at current exchange rates). It was also used for the wedding parade of Crown Prince Naruhito and his wife Masako in 1993.
However, the Rolls Royce is now too old to use. According to the Imperial Household Agency, the vehicle's registration has been deleted and the car is being preserved for the historical record.
The government once considered repairing the British car, but found that would be very expensive. It instead decided to buy a new vehicle and will consider which automaker to commission.
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