Japanese Emperor Akihito went into hospital Friday ahead of a planned bypass operation, according to dpa. The 78-year-old monarch was accompanied by the Emperess Michiko as he was admitted to the University of Tokyo Hospital before the operation scheduled for Saturday. The surgery was planned to take five hours, according to the Imperial Household. In the absence of any complications, the emperor should be free to return home in around two weeks' time. The popular and respected sovereign was carrying out official duties until Thursday, receiving among others returning ambassadors. Akihito was diagnosed last year with arteriosclerosis and stenosis, a narrowing of the blood vessels supplying the heart. An examination last week found a worsening of the stenosis. He has suffered several health problems in recent years. In 2003, he underwent surgery for prostate cancer. Five years later, he was diagnosed with stomach bleeding, attributed in part to stress. In November, he was hospitalized for two weeks with bronchitis. The emperor ascended to the throne in 1989.
