Japan's Emperor Akihito arrived at this Tokyo hospital to be greeted by medical staff and a mass of waiting media.<br/> <br />The 78-year-old is due to undergo a five-hour coronary by-pass operation on Saturday.<br/> <br />He's been treated for heart problems for the past year.<br/> <br />The Emperor gained a huge popularity boost when he visited areas of Japan hit by last year's quake and tsunami within days of the disaster.<br/> <br />Well-wishers at the University of Tokyo hospital where Akihito was admitted on Friday said they were hoping for the best.<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: Suhara Kageyama, well-wisher, saying (Japanese):<br/> <br />"I hope the Emperor will hang on. If the Emperor can recover then it would improve the spirits of the whole country, especially in Tokohu."<br/> <br />SOUNDBITE: Shizue Baba, well-wisher, saying (Japanese):<br/> <br />"From the bottom of my heart I pray that he will make a complete recovery, and it's for that reason I came here today."<br/> <br />A tent with a book for well-wishers to leave messages has been set up at the hospital.<br/> <br />It'll be there until the Emperor's doctors allow him to leave, expected to be in about two weeks time.<br/> <br />Paul Chapman, Reuters
