From the BBC:
“Emperor Akihito: Japanese
monarch declares historic abdication”
The day began with private rituals in the
Imperial Palace Japan's Emperor Akihito has declared his abdication in a
historic ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In his last public address
as emperor, Akihito handed over the symbols of power and thanked the public for
their support during his 30-year reign. The 85-year-old was given permission to
abdicate after saying he felt unable to fulfil his role because of his age and
declining health. He is the first
Japanese monarch to stand down in more than 200 years. Akihito will technically
remain emperor until midnight. His
eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, will ascend the throne later on Wednesday. A
new era - called Reiwa, meaning order and harmony - will begin in Japan's
unique calendar. While the emperor holds no political power, he serves as a
national figurehead. Akihito has endeared himself to many Japanese people
during his reign as he has interacted with those suffering from disease and
disaster.
What happened at the abdication
ceremony?
In the morning, the emperor took
part in a Shinto ceremony to report his plans to the mythological ancestors of
Japan's imperial family. The emperor
took part in private Shinto ceremonies to start the day The main "Ceremony of the
Abdication" took place in a state room of the Imperial Palace in front of
about 300 people including Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Crown Prince Naruhito,
and Crown Princess Masako. Imperial chamberlains carried the state and privy
seals into the hall, along with a sacred sword and a jewel which are considered
symbols of the imperial family. In a short ceremony, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
addressed the emperor, saying: "While keeping in our hearts the path that
the emperor has walked, we will make utmost efforts to create a bright future
for a proud Japan that is full of peace and hope." Then in his final
speech Akihito, wearing a Western-style morning coat, said he "wished
Japan and the world peace and prosperity". Akihito is the first Japanese
emperor to step down in more than 200 years "I am deeply grateful for the people that
accepted me as a symbol and supported me," he said. "I sincerely
wish, together with the Empress, that the Reiwa era which begins tomorrow will
be a stable and fruitful one," he added. "I pray, with all my heart,
for peace and happiness for all the people in Japan and around the world."
The Imperial Treasures that make a man an emperor. After helping his wife,
Empress Michiko, down the steps of the ceremonial platform, the emperor bowed
towards the gathered officials then left the room.
Why did the emperor decide to
abdicate?
The 85-year-old had surgery for
prostate cancer in 2003 and a heart bypass operation in 2012. In a rare speech
in 2016, he said that he feared his age would make it hard for him to carry out
his duties and strongly hinted that he wanted to stand down. Opinion polls showed that the vast majority of
Japan sympathised with the emperor and a year later parliament enacted a law
that made his abdication possible.
Who is the incoming emperor?
Prince Naruhito will become
Japan's 126th emperor - and will officially lead the country into the new Reiwa
era. It will mark the end of the current Heisei era, which began when Akihito
ascended the throne in 1989. The
59-year-old Oxford University graduate is married to Crown Princess Masako.
Their only child, Princess Aiko, was born in 2001. Japan's current law prohibits women from
inheriting the throne so Princess Aiko's uncle Prince Fumihito is now first in
line, followed by her cousin, 12-year-old Prince Hisahito. Princess Aiko, the
only child of Japan's Crown Prince Naruhito, will not ascend the throne because
she is female
Why is the Japanese monarchy
important?
It's the oldest continuing
hereditary monarchy in the world. Legends date it back to about 600 BC. The emperors used to be seen as gods, but
Hirohito - the father of Akihito - publicly renounced his divinity as part of
Japan's surrender at the end of World War Two. It was Emperor Akihito who
helped repair Japan's post-war reputation. Previous emperors rarely interacted
with the public, but Akihito redefined the role - and has come to be known for
his compassion. In 1991, two years after
he ascended the throne, Akihito and the empress broke with norms and knelt down
to speak to people affected by a volcanic eruption in Nagasaki. Akihito also took up the role of a diplomat,
becoming an unofficial ambassador for Japan and travelling abroad extensively. While
Tuesday sees the first abdication in 200 years, it wasn't so rare historically.
According to Japan's state broadcaster
NHK, about half the country's emperors or empresses have done the same, and it
happened frequently from the 8th Century to the 19th Century.
How are Japanese people marking the handover?
The Golden Week break - Japan's
annual spring holiday - has been extended to a record 10 days to mark the
occasion. When Emperor Akihito succeeded
his late father the country was in mourning, but this time people will be going
on holidays, to cinemas, or staying at home to watch the events on TV. Many
said they would miss the departing emperor, who will now hold the title
"Joko", which means "grand emperor" or "Emperor
Emeritus". "I think the emperor is loved by the people," Morio
Miyamoto told Reuters news agency. "His image is one of encouraging the
people, such as after disasters, and being close to the people." "The
emperor worked very hard for 30 years so I hope the handing over of the baton
to the new emperor will go smoothly," Mikiko Fujii told the agency. "I'm sad but also hopeful about the next
era. I hope it will be a peaceful, gentle period for the second half of my
life," said Masatoshi Kujirai, on his way to a Shinto shrine to mark the
day.
^ Emperor Akihito did a lot to
repair the damage the Japanese did during World War 2 around the world. His
father was the Emperor during the War and so it was really only once the son
came to power that a neutrality was seen (ie. someone that wasn’t directly involved
in what happened.) Emperor Akihito also tried to modernize the Imperial Family
within Japanese society and to show a more “human face.” I hope the new Emperor
(Naruhito) will continue to balance the traditional with the modern in the
Japanese Imperial Family and build on what Emperor Akihito did. ^
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