The abdication of the Emperor of Japan 天皇退位

The end of an era

On April 30th, 2019, Emperor Akihito will give up his symbolic role. Look back on his reign and the path to his abdication.

The Imperial family

Having benefited from the teachings of two British tutors and a liberal economist, Akihito developed more modern ideas and opened Japan up to the world. He was also surrounded by Catholic tutors who contributed to the modernization and desecration of the throne, without having any religious influence on the emperor. This is what led him to marry a commoner, a first in the imperial family history. This union was not unanimously supported, the mother of Akihito being one of the most fervent opponents of the marriage.

Breaking the strict codes of the imperial house, the couple decided not to entrust their children to nannies and tutors, and decided to raise them themselves. Leading a modern and Western lifestyle, the Emperor took part in household chores and in 1986 was even the first member of the imperial family to use the metro system! Over the years the couple made visits to all 47 prefectures of the country to get closer to the Japanese people.

The imperial couple in 2016

The government reached an agreement and on May 19th, 2017, a bill applicable only to the current emperor was approved, authorizing him to abdicate. Akihito is the first emperor to abdicate in 200 years, but it was a common practice until the 19th century! The date was decided in December 2017 to be April 30th, 2019, so after 30 years of rule, the 125th Emperor of Japan will give up his throne. He will be 85 years old.

His eldest son, Naruhito, the Crown Prince and now 58 years old, will take over and become Japan's new Emperor on May 1st, 2019.

See also: The Emperor of Japan

Crown prince and future emperor Naruhito

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