Tokyo, Dec 12 (IANS): The 82-year-old Japanese Empress Michiko is diagnosed with acute bronchitis, a spokesman for the Imperial House said on Monday.
Emperor Akihito's wife cancelled her schedule to attend a national karate championship in Tokyo on Sunday after being diagnosed with the respiratory disease on Friday.
However, she does not need to be hospitalised, according to the Japanese Imperial Household.
The health of her 82-year-old husband Emperor Akihito was more fragile following a heart bypass operation in 2012.