A day after Japan was shocked by reports that Emperor Akihito is planning to abdicate, high-ranking officials remained silent Thursday, despite the potentially huge ramifications of such a move and intense interest both at home and abroad.
"I would refrain from comment given the nature of the issue," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Thursday at Tokyo's Haneda airport before leaving for Mongolia to attend the two-day Asia-Europe Meeting from Friday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said the government has no plans to contact the Emperor regarding his reported intention to abdicate "within a few years."