New Year poetry reading ceremony held at Imperial Palace

TOKYO, Japan - Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko (L) attend the annual New Year poetry reading in the ''Matsu-no-ma'' hall of the Imperial Palace on Jan. 15, where ''waka'' poems by members of the imperial family as well as of the general public were recited in traditional style. Ten poems were chosen for recitation from 23,637 entries from the public under this year's theme, ''haru'' or spring.