Kyoto and Nara hope to host Emperor Akihito after abdication for traditional events
Officials in the former Imperial capitals of Kyoto and Nara are looking to invite Emperor Akihito to hold important ceremonies or stay for long periods in their prefectures after his expected abdication. An association comprising officials from Kyoto prefectural and city governments, as well as ...
Kyoto lobbies for Emperor to live in former Imperial capital after abdication
A petition drive by a small Kyoto-based political group requesting that Emperor Akihito move to Kyoto upon his abdication had drawn over 10,000 signatures as of Friday. The campaign by Kyoto Party comes just a few days after Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa said the city ...
Big headache for calendar publishers if new emperor's era name announcement delayed
A group of calendar makers told the government Wednesday they will suffer huge financial losses if the new era name to be adopted after the abdication of Emperor Akihito is not announced before January, saying they will have difficulty moving forward for the following ...
Lower House panel gives nod to one-off abdication bill
The Lower House Steering Committee greenlights a one-time bill to let Emperor Akihito abdicate, paving the way for passage by the chamber.
The ruling and opposition parties on Friday adopted the Diet's proposal over Emperor Akihito's possible abdication, calling for the government to enact a special law applying only to him. The lawmakers' consensus on the issue will pave the way for the 83-year-old Emperor to relinquish ...
New Imperial era name likely to be decided without public consultation
The government is not planning to solicit public opinion about the next Imperial era name should Emperor Akihito relinquish the throne, a government source said Sunday. An era name, or gengo, remains in use for the length of an emperor's reign, with the current period ...
Law professor proposes Japan switch to republicanism to end discrimination posed by emperor system
The Japanese people and their lawmakers should start discussing whether Japan should abolish the emperor system and become a republic because it legitimizes discrimination based on social status, a law professor said Saturday at an event to oppose National Foundation Day. Masahiko Shimizu, a professor ...
Emperor, Empress to meet Vietnamese wives, children of WWII soldiers
Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko will hold meetings with Vietnamese women that Japanese soldiers married during the war and the children they had starting from Feb. 28, the government said Friday. The Imperial Couple plan to embark on a weeklong international goodwill tour that will ...
One-off legislation may be the easiest way to allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate, but it would leave the issue unresolved for future emperors.
This is the official translation of Emperor Akihito’s message on his 83rd birthday. Looking back on the past 12 months since my last birthday, the first thing that comes to mind is the visit to the Philippines with the Empress at the end of January on ...
Emperor turns 83, gives thanks for response to video message
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 ...
Experts weigh in as panel on issue of Emperor's abdication begins hearing
A government-commissioned panel on Monday started hearing opinions from experts on Japanese history and the Imperial Household system. Its purpose is to study Emperor Akihito's possible abdication, and to do so within a tighter schedule than previous hearings that have considered issues related to the ...
