Last year, in a rare public message,
Japan’s Emperor Akihito expressed his desire to abdicate because of
his advanced age. The most recent update stated that Japan’s
government plans to hold the abdication ceremony for Akihito
next year. A survey conducted by Kyodo News on Monday showed that
the majority of the Japanese public support the creation of a
permanent…
Japan is now poised to create a one-time
law to allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate the throne in favour
of his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, and so the official
debate is turning to the finer details. In particular need of
clarity is the appropriate title for a former…
It was announced this week that Japan’s
ruling Liberal Democratic Party have decided to support the
creation of a one-time-use mechanism to legally allow 83-year-old
Emperor Akihito to abdicate. The decision was made after a number
of meetings to decide the matter and is…
Although the Emperor of Japan is afforded
no political powers by the Japanese Constitution, he still must
attend to numerous other ceremonial duties, such as his opening of
the Japanese National Diet earlier this year. Many of these are
purely ceremonial, maintained out of a sense of cultural tradition
that links modern Japan with its past. Unfortunately, however, it
would seem that His Imperial…
His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Akihito of
Japan, opened the Japanese National Diet this Friday. Reading a
prepared speech within the upper assembly, it marks Japan’s 189th
Ordinary Session since the first Imperial Diet was opened by
Emperor Meiji on 29 November 1890. In…
The traditional “Waka” poems, penned by
the Imperial Family, and ten selected works from the public, were
recited at the annual New Year event in the Matsunoma main hall in
the Imperial Palace. The theme of this year’s poems was “no”,
which…
According to a government source, the
Japanese government has been considering the possibility of Crown
Prince Naruhito acceding to the Chrysanthemum Throne ahead of
schedule. During a rare televised address last August, Emperor
Akihito of Japan first alluded to a possible desire to step down
from service and pass the role of Emperor to his son, Crown Prince
Naruhito. The wish was not expressed…
The Imperial Household Agency released a
video for New Year’s Day showing members of the Imperial Family
together. The video does not have any sound but it shows Emperor
Akihito, Empress Michiko, their two sons, Crown Prince Naruhito
and Fumihito, Prince Akishino and…
The Emperor of Japan will not release the
traditional New Year message this year, which marks another step
towards reducing his royal duties. Vice Grand Steward Yasuhiko
Nishimura on Monday said Emperor Akihito, who recently turned 83,
has accepted a proposal made by the…
A record number of 33,000 people came to
see Emperor Akihito’s birthday balcony greetings on Friday. It
might be one of the last times the Emperor will appear in public as
he has spoken of his wish to abdicate. The previous record stood at
30,560 when the Emperor celebrated his twenty years on the
Chrysanthemum throne in 2009. Over the past few years, the numbers
dwindled down to about…
