Addressing the country on his 83rd birthday Friday, Emperor Akihito thanked the public for heeding his message earlier in the year indicating his desire to abdicate.

His annual birthday remarks followed a rare video message in which he said his advanced age could one day prevent him from fulfilling his duties as the symbol of the state. Currently, there are no provisions in the law allowing an Emperor to relinquish the Chrysanthemum Throne.

"In August, in consultation with the Cabinet Office, I delivered a message expressing what has been on my mind over the last few years, reflecting on my years as the Emperor and contemplating my role and my duties as the Emperor in the days to come," he said in a news conference Tuesday ahead of his birthday. "I am profoundly grateful that many people have lent an ear to my words and are giving sincere thought to the matter in their respective positions."