Japanese Emperor Akihito's abdication date announced

After Japan's Emperor Akihito expressed his desire to retire in 2016, his abdication date has been finalised. The 10-member Imperial House Council in Tokyo announced on Friday (1 December) that the emperor would formally renounce his throne on 30 April 2019.

The country's parliament had passed a new legislation in June this year, allowing the emperor to pass on his royal duties to his 57-year-old elder son, Crown Prince Naruhito.

The 83-year-old monarch, who will turn a year older on 23 December, will be the first Japanese emperor in two centuries to abdicate. His elder son's crowning ceremony will be held on 1 May 2019.

The abdication date was finalised following a meeting of the council that included Japanese Prime Minister Shibzo Abe, other politicians, the judiciary and imperial family members, according to the Japan Times.

The popular emperor, who has graced the country's Chrysanthemum Throne for the past three decades, had signalled his desire to retire in a rare video message aired in August 2016. He had cited his growing age and health issues as the reason to retire from all his royal duties.

"My age has already exceeded 80, and I'm happy to be still healthy. But when I think of my declining physical strength, I'm worried it will be difficult to perform my duties as a symbol," the emperor had said at the time.

He then added: "I expressed my feelings, hoping that the Imperial family will always be with its people together in building the nation, and praying that the duties of a symbolic emperor will continue on in a stable manner without any interruption."

Government sources told the Japan Times that the imperial council was keen on setting an abdication date for December 2018 so as to start the new era name, which is based on an emperor's reign and is used in the Japanese calendar, at the start of 2019.

However, the proposal was opposed as it would have clashed with other political schedules during the year-end and New Year Imperial events.

The government is now expected to set up an organisation that will be tasked with preparations for the imperial succession events.

Following Emperor Akihito's abdication, his younger son, Prince Akishino, will become koshi or first in line to the throne. The emperor will be referred to as joko and Empress Michiko, 83, will be jokogo after their elder son takes over the throne.

Emperor Akihito ascended to the throne after his father Hirohito's death in January 1989.

The 83-year-old monarch, who will turn a year older on 23 December, will be the first Japanese emperor in two centuries to abdicate. His elder son's crowning ceremony will be held on 1 May 2019.

The abdication date was finalised following a meeting of the council that included Japanese Prime Minister Shibzo Abe, other politicians, the judiciary and imperial family members, according to the Japan Times.

The popular emperor, who has graced the country's Chrysanthemum Throne for the past three decades, had signalled his desire to retire in a rare video message aired in August 2016. He had cited his growing age and health issues as the reason to retire from all his royal duties.

"My age has already exceeded 80, and I'm happy to be still healthy. But when I think of my declining physical strength, I'm worried it will be difficult to perform my duties as a symbol," the emperor had said at the time.

He then added: "I expressed my feelings, hoping that the Imperial family will always be with its people together in building the nation, and praying that the duties of a symbolic emperor will continue on in a stable manner without any interruption."

Government sources told the Japan Times that the imperial council was keen on setting an abdication date for December 2018 so as to start the new era name, which is based on an emperor's reign and is used in the Japanese calendar, at the start of 2019.

However, the proposal was opposed as it would have clashed with other political schedules during the year-end and New Year Imperial events.

The government is now expected to set up an organisation that will be tasked with preparations for the imperial succession events.

Following Emperor Akihito's abdication, his younger son, Prince Akishino, will become koshi or first in line to the throne. The emperor will be referred to as joko and Empress Michiko, 83, will be jokogo after their elder son takes over the throne.

Emperor Akihito ascended to the throne after his father Hirohito's death in January 1989.