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Japan Emperor’s message on abdication

Emperor Akihito said Monday his advancing age and weakening health mean he may no longer be able to carry out his duties, setting the stage for Japan to prepare for an historic abdication.

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” At the same time, in a nation and in a world which are constantly changing, I have continued to think to this day about how the Japanese imperial family can put its traditions to good use in the present age and be an active and inherent part of society, responding to the expectations of the people”.

While the emperor says he’s healthy now, he’s had prostate cancer and heart issues in the past.

Television screens show a speech by Japanese Emperor Akihito to the nation while displayed at an electronics shop in Tokyo on August 8, 2016.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in a swift response to the emperor’s speech, said the government would take the emperor’s remarks “seriously”.

Akihito is said to feel strongly that an emperor’s full performance of his duties is integral to his constitutional role, experts say.

The current heir to the Chrysanthemum throne is 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, who has been gradually assumed monarchical responsibilities as Akihito cut back on his official duties.

Emperor Akihito succeeded his father, Emperor Hirohito in 1989. “However, when I consider that my fitness level is gradually declining, I am anxious that it may become more hard for me to carry out my duties as the symbol of the state”, Akihito, 82, said in the 10-minute recorded speech broadcast on national television.

Under the constitution the emperor is not allowed to have political powers so a wish to abdicate could be seen as him interfering in politics.

The public seems to support the emperor’s desire to abdicate, with the younger generation in particular saying he should be allowed to relax in his old age. And as Naruhito’s only child is a daughter, the succession would then pass on to Naruhito’s brother, Prince Akishino, and then to his nine-year-old nephew Hisahito.

Historically, the emperor of Japan was seen as semi-divine.

-Has sought to heal the scars of World War Two, saying a year ago: “Looking back at the past, together with deep remorse over the war, I pray that this tragedy of war will not be repeated and together with the people express my deep condolences for those who fell in battle and in the ravages of war”. He has been on Japan’s Chrysenthemum Throne for 27 years.

Some officials have expressed concern that if Emperor Akihito directly called for a change to the law to permit his abdication, it could represent unconstitutional interference in the political process.

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While their wedding was a national sensation, Empress Michiko acknowledged in 2007 the challenges of being a royal after taking a break to recover from physical problems related to mental stress.

People watch a large screen showing Japanese Emperor Akihito's video address in Tokyo Japan