Japan’s royal family beamed in special portraits released to mark the New Year, hours before the devastating 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck

Japan’s royal family today released several family portraits to celebrate New Year’s – just before a devastating earthquake struck central Japan with a preliminary magnitude of 7.6.

During a family photo session at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Crown Prince Akishino, 58, and his wife, Crown Princess Kiko, 57, posed next to their children, Princess Kako, 29, and Prince Hisahito, 17.

The photos, taken in December last year, also included former Japanese Emperor Akihito, 90, and former Empress Michiko, 89.

Hours after Japan’s Imperial Household Agency shared the cheerful photos, the city of Ishikawa was hit by an earthquake, prompting mass evacuations.

The country’s western coastline is now preparing for what is expected to be a 4.5 meter tsunami.

A total of 21 earthquakes of magnitude greater than 4.0 occurred shortly after 4pm local time (7am UK time), and videos shared on social media and broadcast on Japanese TV showed buildings collapsing in Suzu, a city close to the epicenter of the largest earthquake. with huge cracks in the roads.

Before the natural disaster occurred, the royal family shared several images to welcome the new year.

In one of the images, Prince Akishino and his family sit with an intricate dragon ornament to mark the coming year, which is associated with new beginnings.

The Japanese zodiac, also known as Juunishi, is divided into 12 blocks, with each block containing a group of years.

Each group is given the name of an animal, based on an ancient Chinese concept that all time shifts are based on twelve units.

In another shot, the family posed for the camera as they sat behind a wooden table painting.

Prince Akishino and his son Hisahito looked dapper in crisp black suits for the photo opportunities.

Meanwhile, Kiko looked sophisticated in a fawn belted dress, which she paired with matching pumps.

Kako added a pop of color to the portraits and donned an orange dress for the occasion.

Crown Prince Akishino (center left) and his wife Crown Princess Kiko (center right) posed with their children Princess Kako (left) and Prince Hisahito (right) during a New Year’s family photo session at the Akasaka Imperial Residence in Tokyo

To mark the coming year of the dragon, the royal family smiled behind a colorful dragon ornament

Japanese Emperor Naruhito (center), Empress Masako (left) and their daughter Princess Aiko (right) were also seen in the images

In a minimalist setting, Japan’s Emperor Naruhito, 63, Empress Masako, 60, and their daughter Princess Aiko, 22, also smiled for a photo.

In one of the images, Naruhito observed a white ornament while Masako and Aiko watched curiously.

Shortly after the footage was released, a total of 21 earthquakes of magnitude greater than 4.0 sounded shortly after 4:00 PM local time (7:00 AM UK time), and the first tsunami waves of more than a meter high began hitting the north coast of to ravage central Japan.

Videos shared on social media and broadcast on Japanese TV showed buildings in Suzu, a city close to the epicenter of the largest earthquake, collapsing, with huge cracks appearing in the roads.

Other clips showed terrified customers being thrown to the ground in department stores and flooding a train station after water pipes burst.

Former Japanese Emperor Akihito looked dapper in a black suit. Meanwhile, former Empress Michiko opted for a lavender dress

In one image, Emperor Naruhito observed a white ornament as his family looked on curiously

The photos, provided by Japan’s Imperial Household Agency, showed Emperor Narhuto, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko in formal attire

The country’s meteorological agency said the first major waves hit Wajima port in Ishikawa Prefecture at 4:21 p.m. local time, just as darkness fell over the region, with many more expected in the coming minutes and hours.

Japan is now bracing for waves of up to 5 meters (16.4 feet) to hit later today.

A major tsunami warning was issued for Ishikawa, as well as lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the west coast of Honshu island, as Japan’s public broadcaster NHK TV urged people to head to highlands or to the summit to flee from nearby islands. buildings.

‘We realize your house, your possessions are all dear to you, but your life is important above all. Run to the highest possible ground,” a presenter from broadcaster NHK told viewers.

The network said tsunami waves could continue to return as warnings continued to be issued nearly an hour after the first warning.

Russia’s Emergency Situations Ministry said parts of Sakhalin Island on the west coast, close to Japan on Russia’s Pacific coast, were also threatened by a tsunami and locals were evacuated, state news agency TASS reported.

The Japanese government will hold a news conference later in the day, with reports of any damage not immediately available.