With Japanese Emperor Akihito set to turn 80 in 2013, concern has grown over his demanding workload and health condition, leading his aides and government officials to explore ways to reduce his burden.

As the fourth-oldest emperor since the 6th-7th centuries, when reliable records on Japanese emperors begin, Emperor Akihito confessed to the public in 2010 that he is experiencing problems with his hearing.

Despite his age, the emperor's schedule was extremely tight in 2012. As well as attending various public events in many parts of Japan and signing more than 700 official documents, he traveled to London to attend Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee and visited northwestern Japan cities hard hit by the 2011 earthquake and tsunami.