Imperial couple make second visit to Osaka expo

OSAKA - Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Monday visited the World Expo in the city of Osaka for the second time. At the Future of Life pavilion, which envisions a society 50 years from now, the Imperial couple viewed exhibits featuring androids and robots. The emperor showed his fascination at an android modeled after Natsume Soseki (1867-1916), saying that the Japanese novelist continues to live on. The emperor and the empress commented that the androids looked very human, according to Japanese roboticist Hiroshi Ishiguro, a professor at the University of Osaka, who guided the couple. At the U.N. Pavilion, run by the United Nations, the Imperial couple watched a video introducing the world body with solemn expressions.