But it could take years for Akihito to actually abdicate the throne. But after Japan’s World War Two defeat, Emperor Akihito’s father Hirohito was the first to give up his god-like status to become a “symbol of the state and of the unity of the people”.
Advertisement
The 82-year-old monarch spoke publicly after recent media reports that he may want to abdicate.
The world’s last remaining emperor, Japan’s Emperor Akihito, has hinted that he wants to abdicate due to declining health. The Constitution prohibits the emperor’s political engagement.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that he takes seriously Emperor Akihito’s expression of his thoughts about official duties in a video message released earlier in the day. His popularity and compassion was displayed in full force during the awful Tsunami in 2010 when he was shown sitting on the floor with the victims, something never done before by any emperor.
The constitution says that if the emperor becomes debilitated, his successor may take the responsibility of regent. The speech was widely interpreted as a call to Japanese politicians to pave the way for his abdication, which is now not allowed under law. The first was after a massive natural disaster, deadly tsunami and nuclear crisis hit northeast Japan in March 2011. However, when I consider that my fitness level is gradually declining, I am anxious that it may become hard for me to carry out my duties as the symbol of the State with my whole being as I have done until now.
Japan’s postwar constitution stipulates the emperor is a symbol of the state and shall not have powers related to government; the emperor can not issue statements that might be considered political and Akihito therefore avoided any direct reference to abdication, which some might construe as a critique of the laws governing the imperial household.
The revered 82-year-old emperor’s comments came in only his second-ever televised address to the public.
The Emperor has asked the Parliament to amend the law albeit in the most indirect words.
“Considering the emperor’s duties, as well as his age and the burden [of the job], we have to firmly look at what we can do”, Abe stated.
If he were to step down, he would be the first Japanese emperor to do so since Emperor Kokaku in 1817, according to BBC. But Akihito seemed to dismiss this idea, which he noted would not “change the fact that the emperor continues to be emperor until the end of his life”.
People watch a large screen showing Japanese Emperor Akihito’s video address in Tokyo, Japan, August 8, 2016. Together he and Empress Michiko have three children.
Advertisement
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.
