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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In recent years, the emperor has suffered from declining health.
In 10-minute pre-recorded message, Emperor Akihito said he hoped the duties of the emperor as a symbol of the state could continue steadily without any breaks. “It occurs to me from time to time to wonder whether it is possible to prevent such a situation”.
Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said his government is “seriously” considering a solution. That task is unlikely to be easy.
The emperor can’t ask for the law to be amended, though, because the constitution imposed by the U.S.at the end of World War II forbids emperors from political speech.
Japan’s Emperor Akihito exchanges smiles with Empress Michiko at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, in this handout photo taken September 29, 2015 and released by the Imperial Household Agency of Japan.
The Emperor, in an extraordinary television address broadcast, on Monday, via the Associated Press, spoke publicly about his decision for the first time.
“They will either revise the law without touching on (female) succession, or pass a special law”, he said, adding steps could be taken next year.
If Akihito’s wish for retirement is granted, it would mark a significant event in the history of Japan.
He noted that he began to see a decline in his fitness levels following two surgeries-he had to undergo treatment for prostate cancer in 2003, and heart disease in 2013-which made him reflect upon his duties and future of the imperial system.
Akihito did not explicitly say he wants to step down and never used the word ‘abdication.’ However, his remarks is interpreted as a verification of previous reports that Akihito wanted to hand over his duties.
A screen displays Japanese Emperor Akihito delivering a speech in Tokyo, Monday, Aug. 8, 2016.
Emperor Akihito said one possibility when an emperor could not fulfil his duties because of age or illness was that a regency could be established.
Akihito’s announcement was seen as a plea that he be allowed to step down, something which is not now allowed under Japanese law, which requires emperors to serve until death.
This was Akihito’s second time to speak directly to the nation. The first was after a massive quake, deadly tsunami and nuclear disaster hit northeast Japan in March 2011. The Constitution imposed by the victorious United States stripped the monarch of all his powers and gave him a purely nominal role.
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Akihito still works, though his aides have shifted some of his duties to Crown Prince Naruhito – the elder of his two sons and most likely successor.
