Emperor - The Japan Times

Language | NEWS IN NIHONGO Aug 21, 2017

Memorial ceremony marking 72 years since the end of WWII held

The government hosted the National Memorial Ceremony for the War Dead at the Nippon Budokan stadium.

National Aug 17, 2017

Emperor, Empress to visit remote isles, Kyushu disaster sites in October

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko are planning to visit in late October the Kyushu region, which had recently been battered by torrential rain, to offer encouragement to residents recovering from the disaster, sources affiliated with the Imperial Household Agency said Wednesday. They are also considering ...

National Jul 27, 2017

Emperor Akihito's abdication date may be announced in September

Originally expected to make an official announcement next summer about the timing of Emperor Akihito's abdication and the start of the new era, the government may reveal details as early as September, informed sources said. The government believes moving up the timing of the announcement ...

National Jul 4, 2017

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 ...

National Jun 18, 2017

Kyoto lobbies for Emperor to live in former Imperial capital after abdication

by Eric Johnston

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 ...

National Jun 14, 2017

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 ...

National / Politics Jun 1, 2017

Lower House panel gives nod to one-off abdication bill

by Reiji Yoshida

The Lower House Steering Committee greenlights a one-time bill to let Emperor Akihito abdicate, paving the way for passage by the chamber.

National / Politics Mar 17, 2017

Diet lawmakers send proposal on Emperor's abdication to Abe

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 ...

National / Politics Feb 27, 2017

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 ...

National Feb 11, 2017

Law professor proposes Japan switch to republicanism to end discrimination posed by emperor system

by Tai Kawabata

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 ...

National Feb 10, 2017

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 ...