Japan, World Bid Farewell to Hirohito

TOKYO--The world's royal and powerful joined Japan today in a final farewell to Emperor Hirohito, who died in January after a reign of 62 years.

Nine Shinto priests in white robes waved holy branches Thursday to purify the mausoleum in a hilly wooded area where Hirohito will be buried.

Dawn broke under gray skies this morning, and a light rain fell on the Imperial Palace as priests performed a private Shinto rite inside that began 13 hours of ceremonies.

Heads of state, including President Bush, royalty and representatives of 163 countries were present for the funeral, protected by 32,000 police.

Officers checked cars and patrolled streets in case of attacks by foreign terrorists or by Japanese radical groups that had threatened to disrupt the ceremonies.

Opponents of the imperial system held at least three peaceful rallies yesterday evening. One group of about 100 marchers in central Tokyo carried a placard likening Hirohito to Adolf Hitler.

Hirohito, who died of cancer January 7 at age 87, was emperor during the rise of Japanese militarism, the country's defeat in World War II and its post-war transformation into one of the world's leading economic powers.

Two giant open-sided tents were built in the Shinjuku Imperial Gardens to accommodate 10,000 people for nearly two hours of religious and state funeral services. A hearse was provided for the trip to the nearby mausoleum in Hachioji.

Yesterday, workmen painted guard rails and cleaned the roadside for the million people expected to line the route to Hachioji.

Japanese officials say participation by 163 nations make this the largest state funeral or gathering of international leaders in modern history.

Many of the dignitaries met earlier with officials from Japan and with each other.

Bush, on his first overseas trip as U.S. chief executive, met for lunch with French President Francois Mitterrand. He also met with Japanese Prime Minister Noboru Takeshita; King Hussein of Jordan; Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak; Chaim Herzog, president of Israel and leaders from from Portugal and Thailand.

Takeshita consulted with 12 leaders, including Phillippine President Corazon Aquino; President Richard von Weizsaecker of West Germany and Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan's prime minister. He plans to meet with nearly 40 heads of state or government before the weekend is over.

Emperor Akihito, Hirohito's son, gave a reception yesterday for members of royal families from 17 nations.

Stores in the Ginza shopping district covered their advertising signs and display windows. Most stores, banks, movie theaters and amusement parks along the procession route were closed.

The government proclaimed today a national holiday, asking all Japanese to "suitably mourn" Hirohito and observe a minute of silence at noon.

Opponents of the imperial system announced dozens of demonstrations and rallies, however, including a seven-hour rock concert sponsored by the United Church of Christ, Japan's largest Protestant denomination.

Critics of the funeral said Hirohito shared responsibility for World War II, saying that government sponsorship of funeral ceremonies--some of which are related to Shintoism--violate the constitutional separation of state and religion.

The constitution was imposed by the United States after the war, when Hirohito relinquished claims to divine status.

Several of Japan's small but active radical leftist groups pledged to disrupt the ceremonies, including the Kakurokyo, or Revolutionary Workers' Association. This group claimed responsibility for an explosion several weeks ago at a Shinto shrine related to the emperor.