This year marks Emperor Akihito's 20th year on the Chrysanthemum Throne.
Designated by the Constitution as the "symbol" of the state and required to be politically neutral, the 75-year-old Emperor and the Imperial family are nonetheless often subjected to media scrutiny, particularly in recent years when the rules on succession became an issue.
They can also be caught up in controversy, such as the deep bow U.S. President Barack Obama made, simultaneously with a handshake, when he met the Emperor earlier this month. This triggered a conservative backlash in the U.S., with critics likening the president's gesture to kowtowing.