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Akihito

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For other uses, see Akihito (disambiguation).
"Emperor Akihito" redirects here. For emperor of the same name, see Emperor Sutoku.

Akihito[a] (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Heisei being an expression of achieving peace worldwide.[1]

Akihito
  • 明仁
Head-and-shoulders photograph of an 81 year-old Akihito
Akihito in 2014
Emperor of Japan
Reign7 January 1989 – 30 April 2019
Enthronement12 November 1990
PredecessorShōwa
SuccessorNaruhito
BornAkihito, Prince Tsugu
(継宮明仁親王)
(1933-12-23) 23 December 1933 (age 90)
Tokyo Imperial Palace, Japan
Spouse
​
(m. 1959)​
Issue
Era name and dates
Heisei: 
8 January 1989 – 30 April 2019
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherEmperor Shōwa
MotherPrincess Nagako Kuni
ReligionShinto
Signature

Born in 1933, Akihito is the fifth child and first son of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. During the Second World War, he moved out of Tokyo with his classmates and remained in Nikkō until 1945. In 1952, his Coming-of-Age ceremony and investiture as crown prince were held, and he began to undertake official duties in his capacity as crown prince.[2] The next year, he made his first journey overseas and represented Japan at the coronation of Elizabeth II in London. He completed his university education in 1956. In April 1959, he married Michiko Shōda, a commoner; it was the first imperial wedding to be televised in Japan, drawing about 15 million viewers.[3] The couple has three children: Naruhito, Fumihito, and Sayako.

Akihito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne and became emperor upon his father's death in 1989, with an enthronement ceremony in 1990. He made efforts to bring the imperial family closer to the Japanese people, and made official visits to all forty-seven prefectures of Japan and to many of the remote islands of Japan. He has a keen interest in natural life and conservation, as well as Japanese and world history.[2] Akihito abdicated in 2019, citing his advanced age and declining health,[4] and assumed the title Emperor Emeritus (上皇, Jōkō, lit. 'Retired Emperor'). He was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito, whose era is named Reiwa (令和). At age 90, Akihito is the longest-lived verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history. During his reign, 17 prime ministers served in 25 terms, beginning with Noboru Takeshita and ending with Shinzo Abe. He is the current oldest living member of Japanese imperial family, following Yuriko, Princess Mikasa's death on 15 November 2024.[b]

Name

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During his reign, Akihito was never referred to by his own name, but instead as "His Majesty the Emperor" (天皇陛下, Tennō Heika) which may be shortened to "His Majesty" (陛下, Heika).[5][failed verification] The era of Akihito's reign from 1989 to 2019 bore the era name Heisei (平成), and according to custom he will be posthumously renamed Emperor Heisei (平成天皇, Heisei Tennō) as the 125th emperor of Japan by order of the Cabinet.

Following his abdication, he was accorded the title of Jōkō (上皇), officially translated as "Emperor Emeritus".[6][7][8][9]

Early life and education

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One year old Akihito with his mother Empress Nagako, 1934

Prince Akihito (明仁親王, Akihito Shinnō) was born on 23 December 1933 at 6:39 am in the Tokyo Imperial Palace as the fifth child and eldest son of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. Titled Prince Tsugu (継宮, Tsugu-no-miya) as a child, Akihito was educated by private tutors prior to attending the elementary and secondary departments of the Peers' School (Gakushūin) from 1940 to 1952.[2] At the request of his father, he did not receive a commission as an army officer, unlike his predecessors.

 
Akihito at the Crown Prince's investiture ceremony, 1952

During the American firebombing raids on Tokyo in March 1945 during World War II, Akihito and his younger brother Prince Masahito were evacuated from the city. Akihito was tutored in the English language and Western manners by Elizabeth Gray Vining during the Allied occupation of Japan, and later briefly studied at the department of political science at Gakushuin University in Tokyo, though he never received a degree.

Akihito was the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne from birth. His formal investiture as crown prince (立太子の礼, Rittaishi-no-rei) took place at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on 10 November 1952. In June 1953, Akihito represented Japan at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in London on his first journey abroad. He later completed his university education as a special student in 1956.[2]

Marriage and family

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A Japanese stamp commemorating the imperial wedding in 1959

In August 1957, Akihito met Michiko Shōda[2][10] on a tennis court at Karuizawa near Nagano. Initially, there was little enthusiasm for the couple's relationship; Michiko Shōda was considered too low class for the young Crown Prince and had been educated in a Catholic environment. Therefore, in September 1958, she was sent away to Brussels to attend an international conference of the Alumnae du Sacré-Cœur. The Crown Prince was determined to keep in contact with his girlfriend but did not want to create a diplomatic incident. Therefore, he contacted the young King Baudouin of Belgium to send his messages directly to his loved one. Later King Baudouin negotiated the marriage of the couple with the Emperor directly stating that if the Crown Prince was happy with Michiko, he would be a better emperor later on.[11]

The Imperial Household Council formally approved the engagement of the Crown Prince to Michiko Shōda on 27 November 1958. The announcement of the then-Crown Prince Akihito's engagement and forthcoming marriage to Michiko Shōda drew opposition from traditionalist groups, because Shōda came from a Catholic family.[12] Although Shōda was never baptized, she had been educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share her parents' faith. Rumours also speculated that Prince Akihito's mother, Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After the death of Empress Kōjun on 16 June 2000, Reuters reported that she was one of the strongest opponents of her son's marriage, and that in the 1960s, she had driven her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to depression by persistently accusing Shōda of not being suitable for her son.[13][failed verification] At that time, the media presented their encounter as a real "fairy tale",[14] or the "romance of the tennis court". It was the first time a commoner had married into the Imperial Family, breaking more than 2,600 years of tradition.[15] The engagement ceremony took place on 14 January 1959, and the marriage on 10 April 1959.

Akihito and Michiko had three children: two sons Naruhito (born 23 February 1960 and titled Prince Hiro; later the 126th Emperor of Japan) and Fumihito (born 30 November 1965 and titled Prince Aya; later Prince Akishino and subsequently the Crown Prince of Japan), and a daughter Sayako Kuroda (born 18 April 1969 and titled Princess Nori before marriage). The three children were born at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital at the Tokyo Imperial Palace.[2]

 
1987 (Shōwa 62), the last foreign visit as the crown prince and princess (Andrews Air Force Base, United States)

Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko made official visits to thirty-seven countries. As an Imperial Prince, Akihito compared the role of Japanese royalty to that of a robot. He expressed the desire to help bring the Imperial family closer to the people of Japan.[16]

Reign

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Emperor Akihito wearing the sokutai at the enthronement ceremony in November 1990

Upon the death of Emperor Shōwa on 7 January 1989, Akihito acceded to the throne,[17][18] becoming the 125th Emperor of Japan at the age of 55, becoming the third oldest in history. The enthronement ceremony took place on 12 November 1990.[2] In 1998, during a state visit to the United Kingdom, he was invested with the UK Order of the Garter.

Following his accession, he began issuing several wide-ranging statements of remorse to Asian countries, for their suffering under Japanese occupation, beginning with an expression of remorse to China made in April 1989, three months after the death of his father, Emperor Shōwa.

On 23 December 2001, during his annual birthday meeting with reporters, the Emperor, in response to a reporter's question about tensions with South Korea, remarked that he felt a kinship with Koreans and went on to explain that, in the Shoku Nihongi, the mother of Emperor Kammu (736–806) is related to Muryeong of Korea, King of Baekje, a fact that was considered taboo for discussion.[19][20]

In June 2005, the Emperor and Empress visited the island of Saipan (part of the Northern Mariana Islands, a U.S. territory),[21] the site of a battle in the World War II from 15 June to 9 July 1944 (known as the Battle of Saipan). Akihito offered prayers and flowers at several memorials, honouring not only the Japanese who died, but also American servicemen, Korean labourers, and local islanders. It was the first trip by a Japanese monarch to a World War II battlefield abroad. The Saipan journey was received with high praise by the Japanese people, as were the Emperor's visits to war memorials in Tokyo, Hiroshima Prefecture, Nagasaki Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture in 1995.

After succeeding to the throne, Akihito made an effort to bring the Imperial family closer to the Japanese people. He and Michiko made official visits to eighteen countries and to all forty-seven Japanese prefectures.[2] Akihito has never visited Yasukuni Shrine, continuing his predecessor's boycott from 1978, due to its enshrinement of war criminals.[22]

On 6 September 2006, the Emperor celebrated the birth of his first grandson, Prince Hisahito, the third child of the Emperor's younger son. Prince Hisahito was the first male heir born to the Japanese imperial family in 41 years (since his father Prince Akishino) and could avert the Japanese imperial succession crisis, as the only child of the Emperor's elder son, the then Crown Prince Naruhito, is his daughter, Princess Aiko, who is not eligible for the throne under Japan's male-only succession law. The birth of Prince Hisahito meant that proposed changes to the law to allow Aiko to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne were dropped.[23][24]

In response to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the Fukushima I nuclear crisis, the Emperor made a historic televised appearance [ja] urging his people not to give up hope and to help each other.[25][26]

Constitutional role

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Emperor Akihito performs official duties, 2003

Under the Constitution of Japan, Akihito's role was entirely representative and ceremonial in nature, without even a nominal role in government; indeed, he was not allowed to make political statements. He was limited to acting in matters of state as delineated in the Constitution. Even in those matters, he was bound by the requirements of the Constitution and the binding advice of the Cabinet. For instance, while he formally appointed the Prime Minister, he was required to appoint the person designated by the Diet.[27][28]

Abdication

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Main articles: Japanese imperial succession debate and 2019 Japanese imperial transition
 
Akihito, at Chōwaden Reception Hall, giving his final New Year's address as Emperor to the Japanese people, 2019

On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster NHK reported that the then 82-year-old Emperor intended to abdicate in favour of his eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito within a few years, citing his age. An abdication within the Imperial Family had not occurred since Emperor Kōkaku in 1817. However, senior officials within the Imperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. Abdication by the Emperor required an amendment to the Imperial Household Law, which had no provisions for such a move.[29][30] On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health;[31] this address was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate.[32]

On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by the Cabinet of Japan. On 8 June 2017, the National Diet passed it, whereupon it became known as the Emperor Abdication Law. This commenced government preparations to hand the position over to Naruhito.[33] Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced in December 2017 that Akihito's abdication would take place at the end of 30 April 2019, and that Naruhito would become the 126th Emperor as of 1 May 2019.[4]

Post-abdication

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The Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita privately watch the third-place match (New Zealand vs Wales) of the 2019 Rugby World Cup held in Ajinomoto Stadium, November 2019

On 19 March 2020, Akihito and his wife moved out of the Imperial Palace, marking their first public appearance since his abdication.[34] On 31 March, they moved in to the Takanawa Residence.[35]

In December 2021, Akihito celebrated his 88th birthday (beiju), breaking his father's record and making him the longest-living verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history.[36] His daily routine is said to include morning and evening walks with his wife, reading and visits to an imperial biology institute.[37]

In August 2023, Akihito and Michiko visited the tennis court where they first met and interacted with members of the organization responsible for its upkeep.[38]

Health

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Emperor Akihito underwent surgery for prostate cancer on 14 January 2003.[39] Later in 2011 he was admitted to hospital suffering from pneumonia.[40] In February 2012, it was announced that the Emperor would be having a coronary examination;[41] he underwent successful heart bypass surgery on 18 February 2012.[42] In July 2018, he suffered from nausea and dizziness due to insufficient blood flow to his brain. In January 2020, he temporarily lost consciousness and collapsed at his residence, though "no abnormalities" were detected in his brain.[43] He was diagnosed with heart failure in July 2022.[44]

Issue

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The Emperor and Empress with their family in November 2013

Akihito and Michiko have two sons and a daughter.

Name Birth Marriage Children
Date Spouse
Naruhito, Emperor of Japan
(Naruhito, Prince Hiro) 		(1960-02-23) 23 February 1960 (age 64) 9 June 1993 Masako Owada Aiko, Princess Toshi
Fumihito, Crown Prince of Japan
(Fumihito, Prince Aya) 		(1965-11-30) 30 November 1965 (age 58) 29 June 1990 Kiko Kawashima
Sayako Kuroda
(Sayako, Princess Nori) 		(1969-04-18) 18 April 1969 (age 55) 15 November 2005 Yoshiki Kuroda None

Ichthyological research

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Scholia has an author profile for Akihito.

In extension of his father's interest in marine biology, who published taxonomic works on the Hydrozoa, the Emperor Emeritus is a published ichthyological researcher, and has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of the family Gobiidae.[45] He has written papers for scholarly journals such as Gene, Ichthyological Research, and the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology.[46][47] He has also written papers about the history of science during the Edo and Meiji eras, which were published in Science[48] and Nature.[49] In 2005, a newly described goby was named Exyrias akihito in his honour, and in 2007 a genus Akihito of gobies native to Vanuatu also received his name. In 2021, the Imperial Household Agency announced Akihito had discovered two new species of goby fish. The discovery was catalogued in an English-language journal published by the Ichthyological Society of Japan.[50][51]

In 1965, then-Crown Prince Akihito sent 50 Nile tilapia to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej in response to a request for fish that could solve malnutrition issues in the country. The species has since become a major food source in Thailand and a major export.[52]

Honours

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See also: List of honours of the Japanese imperial family by country
Country Awards
  Afghanistan   Order of the Supreme Sun
  Austria   Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria, Grand Star[53]
  Bahrain   Order of al-Khalifa, Collar
  Belgium   Order of Leopold, Grand Cordon
  Botswana   Presidential Order
  Brazil   National Order of the Southern Cross, Grand Collar
  Bulgaria   Order of the Balkan Mountains, Grand Cross
  Cambodia   Royal Order of Cambodia, Grand Cross
  Cameroon   Order of Valour, Grand Cordon
  Chile   Order of the Merit of Chile, Collar
  Colombia   Order of Boyaca, Grand Collar
  Côte d'Ivoire   National Order of the Ivory Coast, Grand Cross
  Czech Republic   Order of the White Lion, Member 1st Class (Civil Division) with Collar
  Denmark   Order of the Elephant, Knight (8 August 1953)[54]
  Egypt   Order of the Nile, Collar
  Estonia   Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana, The Collar of the Cross of Terra Mariana[55]
  Ethiopian Empire   Order of the Seal of Solomon, Grand Cordon (1960)[citation needed]
  Finland   Order of the White Rose, Grand Cross with Collar[56]
  France   National Order of the Legion of Honour, Grand Cross
  The Gambia   Order of the Republic of the Gambia, Grand Commander
  Germany   Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany, Grand Cross Special Class
  Greece   Order of the Redeemer, Grand Cross
  Hungary   Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary, Grand Cross with Chain
  Iceland   Order of the Falcon, Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star
  Indonesia   Star of the Republic of Indonesia, Member 1st Class (Adipurna) (31 January 1962)[57]
  Ireland   Freedom of the City of Dublin, awarded by Lord Mayor of Dublin
  Italy   Order of Merit of the Republic, Knight Grand Cross with Collar
  Jordan   Order of al-Hussein bin Ali, Collar
  Kazakhstan   Order of the Golden Eagle, Recipient
  Kenya   Order of the Golden Heart, Chief
  Kuwait   Order of Mubarak the Great, Collar
  Latvia   Order of the Three Stars, Commander Grand Cross with Chain[58]
  Liberia   Order of the Star of Africa, Grand Cross
  Order of the Pioneers of Liberia, Grand Cordon
  Lithuania   Order of Vytautas the Great, Golden Chain[59]
  Luxembourg   Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, Knight
  Malawi   Order of the Lion, Grand Commander
  Malaysia   Most Exalted Order of the Crown of the Realm, Honorary Recipient
  Mali   National Order of Mali, Grand Cordon
  Mexico   Mexican Order of the Aztec Eagle, Collar
  Morocco   Order of Muhammad, Member Special Class
    Nepal   Order of the Benevolent Ruler, Member (19 April 1960)[60]
  King Birendra Investiture Medal (24 February 1975)[61]
  Netherlands   Order of the Netherlands Lion, Knight Grand Cross
  Nigeria   Order of the Federal Republic, Grand Commander
  Norway   Royal Norwegian Order of Saint Olav, Grand Cross with Collar (11 August 1953)[62]
  Oman   Order of Oman, Member Special Class
  Pakistan   Nishan-e-Pakistan, Member 1st Class
  Panama   Order of Manuel Amador Guerrero, Collar
  Peru   Order of the Sun, Grand Cross with Diamonds
  Philippines   Philippine Legion of Honor, Chief Commander[63]
  Order of Sikatuna, Grand Collar (Raja)[64]
  Order of Lakandula, Grand Collar
  Poland   Order of the White Eagle, Knight
  Portugal   Military Order of Saint James of the Sword, Grand Collar (2 December 1993)
  Order of Prince Henry, Grand Collar (12 May 1998)[65]
  Qatar   Collar of Independence
  Saudi Arabia   Badr Chain
  Senegal   National Order of the Lion, Grand Cross
  South Africa   Order of Good Hope, Grand Cross in Gold (4 July 1995)[66]
  Spain   Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece, Knight
  Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, Grand Cross
  Royal and Distinguished Spanish Order of Charles III, Collar
  Sweden   Royal Order of the Seraphim, Knight
  Thailand   Most Auspicious Order of the Rajamitrabhorn, Knight
  Most Illustrious Order of the Royal House of Chakri, Knight
  King Bhumibol Adulyadej Diamond Jubilee Medal
  Ukraine   Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, Member 1st Class
  United Arab Emirates   Collar of the Federation
  United Kingdom   Most Noble Order of the Garter, Stranger Knight Companion (985th member; 1998)
  Royal Victorian Order, Honorary Knight Grand Cross (1953)
  Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (2 June 1953)
  FR Yugoslavia a   Order of the Yugoslav Star, Yugoslav Great Star
  Zaire b   National Order of the Leopard, Grand Cordon
a FR Yugoslavia split into Serbia and Montenegro. As of 2006 this order is аbolished.
b Zaire is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Other awards

Overseas visits

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The following tables include official visits jointly made by the Emperor and Empress from 1991 to 2017.[68][69][70] Although Empress Michiko has made two official visits on her own, in 2002 (to Switzerland) and 2014 (to Belgium), they did not include the Emperor and are not included in this list.

1990s

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Dates Location(s) Details
26 September – 6 October 1991
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia"
23–28 October 1992 China "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of China"
6–9 August 1993 Belgium Attended the funeral of King Baudouin of Belgium.[71]
3–19 September 1993
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Italy, Belgium and Germany"
10–26 June 1994 United States "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of the United States"
2–14 October 1994
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of France and Spain"
30 May – 13 June 1997
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Brazil and Argentina"
23 May – 5 June 1998
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of the United Kingdom and Denmark"

2000s

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The Emperor and Empress bowing their heads for a moment of silence at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii, 2009
Dates Location(s) Details
20 May – 1 June 2000
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of the Netherlands and Sweden"
6–20 July 2002
"To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary"
7–14 May 2005 Norway "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Norway"
27–28 June 2005 United States Commemorations of the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.
8–15 June 2006
Commemorations of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and Singapore; attended the 60th anniversary celebrations of the accession to the throne of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
21–30 May 2007
Invited by Sweden and the United Kingdom to mark the 300th birth anniversary of Carl von Linné as an honorary member of the Linnean Society; invited by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to conduct a state visit.
3–14 July 2009 Canada "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Canada"
15–17 July 2009 United States Visited Hawaii to mark the 50th anniversary of the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship Foundation.[72]

2010s

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The Emperor participating in a ceremonial welcome with President Benigno Aquino III of the Philippines, 2016
Dates Location(s) Details
16–20 May 2012 United Kingdom Attended a luncheon hosted by Queen Elizabeth II on the occasion of her Diamond Jubilee.[73]
30 November – 6 December 2013 India "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of India"
8–9 April 2015 Palau Commemorations of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II.
26–30 January 2016 Philippines "To foster friendly relations on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations at the invitation of the Philippines"
28 February – 6 March 2017 Vietnam "To foster friendly relations at the invitation of Vietnam"
5–6 March 2017 Thailand Met with King Vajiralongkorn and paid respect to the remains of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.[74][75]

Ancestry

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Patrilineal descent

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Patrilineal descent[80]

Akihito's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.

Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations, which means that Akihito is a member of the Imperial House of Japan.

Imperial House of Japan
  1. Descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but traditionally traced back patrilineally to Emperor Jimmu
  2. Emperor Keitai, ca. 450–534
  3. Emperor Kinmei, 509–571
  4. Emperor Bidatsu, 538–585
  5. Prince Oshisaka, ca. 556–???
  6. Emperor Jomei, 593–641
  7. Emperor Tenji, 626–671
  8. Prince Shiki, ???–716
  9. Emperor Kōnin, 709–786
  10. Emperor Kanmu, 737–806
  11. Emperor Saga, 786–842
  12. Emperor Ninmyō, 810–850
  13. Emperor Kōkō, 830–867
  14. Emperor Uda, 867–931
  15. Emperor Daigo, 885–930
  16. Emperor Murakami, 926–967
  17. Emperor En'yū, 959–991
  18. Emperor Ichijō, 980–1011
  19. Emperor Go-Suzaku, 1009–1045
  20. Emperor Go-Sanjō, 1034–1073
  21. Emperor Shirakawa, 1053–1129
  22. Emperor Horikawa, 1079–1107
  23. Emperor Toba, 1103–1156
  24. Emperor Go-Shirakawa, 1127–1192
  25. Emperor Takakura, 1161–1181
  26. Emperor Go-Toba, 1180–1239
  27. Emperor Tsuchimikado, 1196–1231
  28. Emperor Go-Saga, 1220–1272
  29. Emperor Go-Fukakusa, 1243–1304
  30. Emperor Fushimi, 1265–1317
  31. Emperor Go-Fushimi, 1288–1336
  32. Emperor Kōgon, 1313–1364
  33. Emperor Sukō, 1334–1398
  34. Prince Yoshihito Fushimi, 1351–1416
  35. Prince Sadafusa Fushimi, 1372–1456
  36. Emperor Go-Hanazono, 1419–1471
  37. Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado, 1442–1500
  38. Emperor Go-Kashiwabara, 1464–1526
  39. Emperor Go-Nara, 1495–1557
  40. Emperor Ōgimachi, 1517–1593
  41. Prince Masahito, 1552–1586
  42. Emperor Go-Yōzei, 1572–1617
  43. Emperor Go-Mizunoo, 1596–1680
  44. Emperor Reigen, 1654–1732
  45. Emperor Higashiyama, 1675–1710
  46. Prince Naohito Kanin, 1704–1753
  47. Prince Sukehito Kanin, 1733–1794
  48. Emperor Kōkaku, 1771–1840
  49. Emperor Ninkō, 1800–1846
  50. Emperor Kōmei, 1831–1867
  51. Emperor Meiji, 1852–1912
  52. Emperor Taishō, 1879–1926
  53. Emperor Shōwa, 1901–1989
  54. Emperor Akihito, b. 1933

Notes

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  1. ^ 明仁; Japanese: [akiꜜçi̥to]; English: /ˌækiˈhiːtoʊ/ ⓘ AK-ee-HEE-toh or /ˌɑːk-/ AHK-
  2. ^ Akihito's older sister, Atsuko Ikeda, formerly Atsuko, Princess Yori, was born 7 March 1931, however, Japanese law requires Princesses who marry to leave the imperial family if not marrying the emperor or another male member of the imperial family.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Speeches by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister at the National Diet". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 10 February 1989. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress". Imperial Household Agency. 2002. Archived from the original on 1 December 2007. Retrieved 28 December 2007.
  3. ^ "Imperial marriage created bond with people". The Japan Times. 9 April 2009. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  4. ^ a b Enjoji, Kaori (1 December 2017). "Japan Emperor Akihito to abdicate on April 30, 2019". CNN. Tokyo. Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Members of the Order of the Garter". The British Monarchy. Archived from the original on 24 June 2009.
  6. ^ "Japan emperor to be addressed with "emeritus" after abdication". Kyodo News+. 25 February 2019. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  7. ^ Miner, Earl Roy; Morrell, Robert E.; 小田桐弘子 (21 September 1988). The Princeton Companion to Classical Japanese Literature. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9780691008257. Archived from the original on 25 July 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2019 – via Google Books.
  8. ^ "Government panel outlines proposals on Emperor's abdication, titles". The Japan Times Online. 14 April 2017. Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  9. ^ "Panel stresses clean break once emperor steps down". Nikkei Asian Review. 22 April 2017. Archived from the original on 7 May 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  10. ^ Fukada, Takahiro, "Emperor — poise under public spotlight", The Japan Times, 24 November 2009, p. 3. [dead link‍]
  11. ^ NWS, VRT (26 April 2019). "De Brusselse romance van het Japanse keizerlijk paar, met dank aan Koning Boudewijn". vrtnws.be (in Dutch). Archived from the original on 26 April 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2019.
  12. ^ Herbert P. Bix, Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan, HarperCollins, 2001, p. 661
  13. ^ "Japan's Dowager Empress Dead at 97". CBS News. 16 June 2000. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  14. ^ "The Girl from Outside". Time. 23 March 1959. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  15. ^ "The wedding that broke centuries of tradition". BBC News. 1 September 2017. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2017.
  16. ^ "Those Apprentice Kings and Queens Who May – One Day – Ascend a Throne" Archived 14 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times. 14 November 1971.
  17. ^ "Hirohito Dies, Ending 62 Years as Japan's Ruler". Los Angeles Times. 8 January 1989. ISSN 0458-3035. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 2 May 2019.
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Akihito
Born: 23 December 1933
Japanese royalty
Preceded by Crown Prince of Japan
1952–1989 		Succeeded by
Regnal titles
Preceded by Emperor of Japan
7 January 1989 – 30 April 2019 		Succeeded by
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