Japanese emperor addresses abdication speculation

He laid out a busy job description for an emperor, saying it was important for the monarch to travel throughout the country, “in particular to remote places and islands”.

He made it clear that he didn’t have confidence in continuing to carry out that job.

Japan’s Emperor Akihito said Monday that the he worries his health will prevent him from fulfilling his duties as the head of state. – “In Japan, an emperor is required to serve until death by law”.

At last year’s event Emperor Akihito expressed “deep remorse” over the Second World War.

After the initial surprise, the public warmly welcomed the reported abdication plan, saying the hard-working emperor deserves to enjoy his long-overdue retirement.

He used indirect language for a good reason. But as a part of its WWII surrender, Japan had to withdraw the emperor’s divine claim, which is reflected in the 1947 constitution: “The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the People, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power”.

“Given the age of the Emperor and his current responsibilities for participation in public events, we need to think about the emperor’s concern and carefully examine what can be done”, Abe said in a televised address, broadcast by NHK.

In failing health he can not step down as that is not allowed under Japanese law. “For Akihito to step down, the Japanese parliament would have to change the law”.

“Considering the emperor’s duties, as well as his age and the burden [of the job], we have to firmly look at what we can do”, Abe stated.

Opinion polls show that the vast majority of ordinary Japanese people sympathize with the emperor’s desire to retire.

Japanese media reports said the government may consider enacting a special law allowing Akihito’s abdication that would not be applicable to his successors, because debate over a revision of the Imperial House Law could take too much time since it is likely to reignite debate over whether to allow female emperors and other divisive issues. The BBC explains that Akihito “is constitutionally not allowed to make any political statements”, which an abdication request could be perceived as. Under the law, succession passes through the male line only.

“They have really become the people’s imperial family”, Cucek says. Akihito’s eldest son, 56-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, is next in line, but has only a daughter.

The emperor has had health problems in recent years. In 2012, he underwent heart surgery, an experience he alluded to in the address.

He appears to have taken pains to keep his distance from emperor-worshipping conservatives and historical revisionists who have contributed to hard relations with neighboring China and South Korea, which suffered under Japan’s wartime and colonial policies. He and his wife, Empress Michiko, frequently visit areas that have been hit by natural disasters to console victims.

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