CBS Evening News - 1989-01-06
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Read a transcript preview of “CBS Evening News - 1989-01-06” from malgent, uploaded on 2026-02-22.
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Language: English (original, YouTube automatic captions)
[0:04] This is the CBS Evening News. Dan Rather
[0:07] reporting. Good evening. The last of the
[0:09] major World War II leaders, Emperor
[0:11] Hirohito of Japan, died today. He was
[0:15] 87. His son immediately assumed the
[0:18] throne of the world's oldest imperial
[0:20] line. The imperial palace said Hiroito
[0:23] died of intestinal cancer. He had been
[0:25] critically ill for several months and
[0:27] the end was not unexpected.
[0:30] From Tokyo, Richard Wagner reports.
[0:34] Political leaders and members of the
[0:35] imperial family rushed to the palace in
[0:37] the pre-dawn hours of Saturday morning
[0:39] as word spread that Hirohito was near
[0:41] death. Then finally came the
[0:43] announcement the emperor of Japan had
[0:45] died. Many citizens of Tokyo were at the
[0:47] palace praying for the well-being of
[0:49] their emperor. Although Japan had been
[0:52] on a prolonged death watch, the end of
[0:54] Hiito's 63-year reign still came as a
[0:57] shock to many. There was a sense of
[0:59] history in the making not felt since the
[1:02] end of World War II. Hiito's illness had
[1:05] touched off an outpouring of national
[1:06] sentiment and emotion. Emotions not
[1:09] expressed for years. For many in Japan,
[1:12] the emperor's landmark life was their
[1:14] own through war, nuclear holocaust,
[1:17] defeat, and ultimately prosperity. His
[1:20] illness had caused a lengthy period of
[1:22] uncertainty. Printers suspended work on
[1:25] new calendars and official documents. A
[1:27] new emperor would mean year one of a new
[1:29] era. There were widespread cancellations
[1:32] of concerts, parties, and festivals.
[1:35] Stock market activity slowed. It was
[1:37] thought improper to seek profits at such
[1:39] a time.
[1:42] But as