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| Akihito is waving goodbye to the throne, the first abdication in Japan for 200 years (AFP Photo/Kazuhiro NOGI) |
For the first time in more than 200 years, Japan's emperor will abdicate Tuesday, putting his son on the Chrysanthemum Throne and ushering in a new era for the world's oldest monarchy.
In a set of
solemn ceremonies, Emperor Akihito will hand over to his eldest son,
59-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, also kicking off the new imperial
"Reiwa" era -- meaning "beautiful harmony" -- that will
continue for the length of the new monarch's reign.
The historic
abdication has resulted in an unprecedented 10-day holiday for the famously
hard-working Japanese, as special days off to mark the new emperor combine with
the traditional "Golden Week" celebrations in May.
At
precisely 5:00 pm local time (0800 GMT), the 85-year-old Akihito will formally
step down in a 10-minute ceremony in the "Matsu-no-Ma" ("Room of
Pine"), considered the most elegant hall in the sumptuous Imperial Palace.
The ritual
will be conducted in the presence of the imperial regalia -- an ancient sword
and jewel -- considered crucial evidence of an emperor's legitimacy.
However, Naruhito will not become emperor of Japan until the stroke of midnight and he will "inherit" the regalia at a second ceremony Wednesday at 10:30 am before making his first official public remarks shortly afterwards.
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The
Japanese monarchy stretches back for centuries (AFP Photo)
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However, Naruhito will not become emperor of Japan until the stroke of midnight and he will "inherit" the regalia at a second ceremony Wednesday at 10:30 am before making his first official public remarks shortly afterwards.
The popular
Akihito stunned Japan when he announced in 2016 that he wanted to give up the
Chrysanthemum Throne, citing his age and health problems -- he has been treated
for prostate cancer and has also undergone heart surgery.
There have
been abdications in Japan's long imperial history, which has mythological
origins and stretches back more than two millennia, but the last one was more
than two centuries ago.
A more
lavish and public enthronement ceremony attended by world leaders will take
place on October 22.
'Ultra-aged society'
Akihito has
sought to modernise the imperial family in Japan, which has a sensitive
position given the role his father Hirohito played in the country's
militaristic past.
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Emperor
Akihito and his wife Michiko won plaudits for a popular touch, notably
comforting people affected by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown
that devastated whole swathes of east Japan and killed thousands (AFP
Photo/
HIRO KOMAE)
|
He and his
wife Empress Michiko won plaudits for a popular touch, notably comforting
people affected by the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and nuclear meltdown that
devastated whole swathes of east Japan and killed thousands.
Images of
the couple kneeling and bowing to those in temporary shelters gave some heart
to the stricken nation and Akihito took the rare step of giving a televised
address to reassure his people.
Naruhito is
also seen as a modern royal and has previously issued mild criticism of the
sometimes stifling lifestyle imposed on royals, particularly as his wife Masako
has struggled to adapt to imperial life and has long struggled with
stress-induced illness.
The new
emperor inherits a country very different to when it last crowned a new
emperor.
In 1989,
when Akihito ascended the throne, Japan ruled the world economically in the
middle of a technology-fuelled boom that caused soaring land prices and sparked
wild cost comparisons: the Imperial Palace grounds were worth more than all of
Canada.
Now, Japan's population is in decline and it is on course to become the world's first "ultra-aged" society, with 28 percent of people over 65.
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Akihito's
abdication has also reignited concerns about a potential
succession crisis (AFP
Photo)
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Now, Japan's population is in decline and it is on course to become the world's first "ultra-aged" society, with 28 percent of people over 65.
The boom
gave way to a "lost decade" of tepid economic growth and deflation
from which Japan has not fully recovered -- GDP growth remains sluggish and a
years-long battle to rekindle inflation with ultra-loose monetary policy has
enjoyed limited success.
On the
world stage, Japan has seen its role as Asian powerhouse usurped by a resurgent
China and is a relative bystander even in global issues in its backyard such as
North Korea.
The
abdication has also reignited concerns about a potential succession crisis.
There are no more eligible male heirs after the 12-year-old son of Naruhito's
younger brother Akishino.
Japan's
centuries-old succession would be broken if that son, Hisahito, does not have a
male child. The idea of letting women ascend the throne is popular with
Japanese, but vehemently opposed by traditionalists.
Ordinary
Japanese have seized on the opportunity of a 10-day holiday to travel, with
airports and bullet trains packed and roads jammed.
And the
change of era has sparked a flurry of merchandise ranging from tee-shirts to a
can of "Heisei" era air -- yours for a breeze at just under $10.
#UPDATE Emperor Akihito of Japan formally steps down, in the first abdication for 200 years in the world's oldest monarchy, as his son Naruhito prepares to take the Chrysanthemum Throne and usher in a new imperial era https://t.co/bClo5XnsBW— AFP news agency (@AFP) 30 april 2019
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