Japan`s Emperor Cancels Duties Due To Health Worry

Japan's Emperor Akihito will cancel official duties until Thursday, including a planned meeting with the Polish president, after being diagnosed with an irregular pulse, the Imperial Household Agency said on Wednesday.

"His blood pressure has risen since last night. He will cancel his schedule of official duties today and tomorrow," an agency spokesman said.

As a result the emperor, 74, will cancel his meeting with Polish President Lech Kaczynski on Thursday.

Akihito has been feeling some abnormality in his chest for two weeks but is no longer doing so, and his blood pressure has stabilised after rising overnight, another agency official said.

It is unclear when he will resume his duties as he is undergoing tests, the official said.

In February, a government spokesman said the emperor and his wife Empress Michiko should cut back their schedule of official duties because of their health problems.

At that time, a palace doctor had said the emperor could develop osteoporosis because his bone density had dropped as a result of treatment for prostate cancer, although there was no recurrence of the cancer, for which he underwent surgery five years ago.