Japan's crown prince hopes to continue father's legacy

Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito says he hopes to continue the close relationship his father built with the people when he succeeds him as emperor later this year.

Naruhito, who turns 59 on Saturday, will ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 after Emperor Akihito abdicates.

"I feel very solemn when I think about the future," he said at an annual pre-birthday news conference Thursday. His remarks were embargoed from publication until Saturday.

In this Feb. 17, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito poses for a photo at his residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

"While I continue to prepare for this role, I would like to maintain the past emperors' work. I would like to think about the people and pray for the people," he said.

His wife, Masako will also assume a new role as empress. The former diplomat has suffered from stress and has often skipped public events, and it's unclear how she will manage her new role as empress.

"Although Masako is steadily recovering, her condition still fluctuates. I would like Masako to continue to slowly widen her contribution in her role," Naruhito said, adding he hopes to support his wife just as she has supported him.

In this Feb. 17, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako pose for a photo at their residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

Naruhito's younger brother, Prince Akishino, and his family are also expected to play a major role. The Japanese throne is only inherited by male heirs, and Naruhito's only child is a daughter. Prince Akishino and his young son Hisahito are next in the line of succession after Naruhito.

Akihito's desire to leave the throne revived a debate about the country's 2,000-year-old monarchy, one of the world's oldest, as well as discussion about improving the status of female members of the shrinking royal population.

"This problem will relate to the imperial family of the future. I would like to refrain from giving any opinions on the system," the crown prince said.

In this June 26, 2018, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Price Naruhito, right, guides Rio Paralympics women's T12 marathon silver medalist Misato Michishita as they run together at Akasaka Imperial Garden in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

Those who are concerned about the future of the royal family with shrinking membership want to allow women to ascend the throne and others to keep their royal status so they can keep performing public duties, but a government panel has avoided the divisive issue.

Even before the 1947 Imperial Law, reigning empresses were rare, usually serving as stand-ins for a few years until a suitable male can be installed. The last reigning empress was Gosakuramachi, who assumed the throne in 1763.

Debate over the succession law, however, is emotional. Some conservatives proposed a revival of concubines to produce imperial heirs, and others argued that allowing a woman on the throne would destroy a precious Japanese tradition.

In this June 26, 2018, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Price Naruhito guides Rio Paralympics women's T12 marathon silver medalist Misato Michishita as they run together at Akasaka Imperial Garden in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 21, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito speaks to journalists during his press conference at his residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 21, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito speaks to journalists during his press conference at his residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 17, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako pose at their residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 17, 2019, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako read the information on the national youth book report competition at their residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 17, 2019 photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako read the information on the national youth book report competition at their residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this Feb. 17, 2019 photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito poses for a photo at his residence Togu Palace in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

In this June 26, 2018, photo provided by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan, Japan's Crown Price Naruhito, right, guides Rio Paralympics women's T12 marathon silver medalist Misato Michishita, left, as they run together at Akasaka Imperial Garden in Tokyo. Naruhito celebrates his 59th birthday on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019. (Imperial Household Agency of Japan via AP)

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The lower bowl of the Athletics' $2 billion domed stadium on the Las Vegas Strip is taking shape, and officials said the project remains on schedule to open before the 2028 season.

Club and contractor officials presented their update on the 33,000-person capacity ballpark on Thursday at the Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting.

“The lower-suite level is progressing substantially,” said Tyler Van Eeckhaut, project director for contractors Mortenson-McCarthy. “We're starting to see a lot of rooms taking shape and a lot of that environment has really started to become a component of the stadium."

Buttress work has been completed to mark a significant milestone, and the upper deck began going up in April. A parking garage on the southeast side will be phased in with 1,500 lots initially available and 2,500 by the time construction is completed.

The A's might have to, however, build a temporary plaza on the northwest side. Bally's Corp. hasn't yet raised financing for an elevated plaza on the property as part of a $1.19 billion mixed-use project that includes restaurants, shopping and entertainment in addition to a hotel-casino and 2,500-seat theater. The stadium is part of the overall development plan.

Sandy Dean, A’s vice chairman, said the club is in the process of creating plans so that a plaza will open by the time the first pitch is thrown in the 2028 season.

“Those guys (at Bally's) are doing a lot of things, and we have to remember Bally's had the vision to bring us to this site,” Dean said. “We and Las Vegas are all going to benefit by being on the Bally's site. This is just something we've got to sort through together with them in the next little bit.”

Steve Hill, CEO and president of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, told the A's to present a plan regarding the plaza at the next Stadium Authority meeting on Aug. 20.

“In order to facilitate the retail and the parking that you would ultimately need beneath that plaza area, you have to tear that up and build a permanent plaza at some point in the future,” Hill said after the meeting. “I don't know necessarily how that would work. We just asked for clarity on if that looks like an option that might have to be implemented that we understand that it will work.”

A's President Marc Badain said the first set of suites that were made available for purchase have sold out and 80% of the season-ticket packages for the seats behind home plate for what is called the Athletic Club have been sold. He added tickets will begin going on sale to the general public in the coming months.

The team had also conducted about 85 hours of focus-group studies with 120 Las Vegas-area residents to their feedback regarding the A's move. Badain said he wasn't ready yet to share the specifics of those results.

“We got their feedback with their experience with (the NHL's Golden Knights and NFL's Raiders) and things they love and things they'd like to see maybe a little different in our ballpark,” Badain said. “But, overall, it was very positive.”

While construction takes place on the Las Vegas Strip, the A’s are playing the second of three planned seasons at a Triple-A stadium in West Sacramento, California. They played their previous 57 seasons in Oakland, California.

The A's entered Thursday's play in first place in the AL West at 25-24, a game in front of the Texas Rangers.

They will play six regular-season games next month at Las Vegas Ballpark, home to the club's Triple-A affiliate. Badain said just a few tickets remain for the June 8-10 series against Milwaukee and June 12-14 set against Colorado.

Ceremonial groundbreaking on the stadium occurred June 23. The A’s Ballpark Experience Center in Las Vegas opened in December to give fans a chance to view the stadium in detail and take part in other immersive experiences.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

FILE - A person takes a picture near construction equipment during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Athletics' baseball stadium, June 23, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)