News reports Wednesday that Emperor Akihito hopes to abdicate have attracted attention not only at home but abroad, with foreign media looking back on Japan's history and touching on current domestic issues.

"For the first time in nearly two centuries, an emperor of Japan has said that he will abdicate the throne before he dies," The New York Times said Wednesday in its online edition, citing Emperor Kokaku as the last emperor to abdicate, in 1817.

The newspaper also said the Emperor "may be trying to avoid the drama of his own succession" as his father, Emperor Hirohito, was ill for years, quoting an expert on Japan as saying Emperor Akihito "seems to want to make it easier and make it more matter of fact."