Emperor Akihito's poem for the annual New Year poetry reading Thursday at the Imperial Palace was a reflection on his visit to Norway last year to mark the 100th anniversary of the start of bilateral diplomatic relations with the country.
This year's theme for the "waka" poems was "smile."
The Emperor's poem described a cruise he and Empress Michiko made in Trondheim, the old capital of Norway, in May with Norwegian Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
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