In a recent development, we learned that former Empress Michiko of Japan has undergone surgery following a fracture in her right femur. The procedure took place at 7:30 AM Japan time today, although it’s still unclear how long she will remain hospitalized. Notably, she is set to celebrate her 90th birthday on the 20th of this month.

Reports from Japanese media indicate that the incident happened on the evening of October 6, when the former Empress fell at her residence in the Akasaka Imperial Estate in Tokyo. She experienced significant pain in her right leg and sought medical attention the next day at the University of Tokyo Hospital, where doctors confirmed the fracture and scheduled her surgery for this morning. This is not the first time she has faced health issues; her last surgery was in September 2019, when she underwent a procedure to remove early-stage breast cancer.