politics

Emperor Akihito to abdicate on April 30, 2019

35 Comments
By Mari Yamaguchio

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35 Comments
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tsk. They're really dragging it out. What's wrong with the start of the year?

10 ( +13 / -3 )

i am no fan of any monarchy, but the emperor and empress have always shown true grace and class. and their continued support of the tohoku region through their visits certainly show how crass abe and his cronies are. i wish them all the best in the twilight of their lives.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

It's rude for Japan's government to decide his majesty Heisei's abdication date, when it's Heisei himself who are the people's representative and symbol!

Heisei has contributed much for modern Japan in terms of representation and symbolically! So let Heisei have his final decision in peace and quiet. He deserves to at least choose when he steps down.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

They're really dragging it out. What's wrong with the start of the year?

the start of the new year is a busy time for families, and the gov't is shut down. so the imperial family thought it was best to move it more convenient time of year. how dare they be considerate of japanese people!

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

well that's got to be good news for the Japanese tax payer who funds the whole circus right?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Looking at the slideshow, I was confused at first, wondering why there were photos of the Showa Emperor. Goodness, but Prince Hitachi has quite a look of his father.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I’m surprised. I thought it would be April 1, like everything else that starts in Japan. Maybe 29 days later, everyone will be less busy? But I’d like to thank the emperor for being a symbol of intelligence and calmness in today’s Trump-inspired vitirol.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Congratulations Emperor Akihito. You have won a long fought battle against the 宮内省,Kunai-shō) and hope that you will enjoy your retirement in peace.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

April the 1st, are they kidding. Probably. There is no shame. Trapped in an exsitance by other people who control every aspect of his family's daily movements under the guise of protecting them?

The Previous Royal House Executive (aka Zookeeper) was sacked for allowing the Emperor to speek openly about his plight. And a retired Tokyo police officer placed in charge by Abe San of the Royal Household,

Guess they represent the plight of Japanese people beholden to a small group of entitled grumpy old men who's imagination extends no further than 1930.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

the start of the new year is a busy time for families, and the gov't is shut down. so the imperial family thought it was best to move it more convenient time of year. how dare they be considerate of japanese people!

By moving it to the middle of Golden Week instead?

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Damn that looks like one boring meeting. No young people at all.

Many people have basically lost a holiday as of 2019 as some companies give golden week off anyway.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Another Japanese yes that means no, (not if we can help it). That prompts a Yiddish oy vey. Now he has to live that long (as well as continue to perform his duties). What odds are the bookies taking?

In the olden days when kings and emperors died in battles or from diseases not treatable by modern medicine, succession was a whole different deal. I applaud the monarchs in several European countries (Spain, Holland) whose reigning monarchs had the sensitivity to realize that their appeal to the next generation was waning and handed things over to their heirs while they still held some level of glamour which might move the masses to something other than republicanism. No doubt I'll be shot down for it, but I believe Elizabeth II would have been wiser to do the same.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Let the poor man abdicate already, EVERYONE in this country wants it but noooo a couple of oyaji need to make him wait 3 years before he can FINALLY retire at EIGTHYFIVE! bah disgusting.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

No fan of any monarchy but let the guy retire already. He's done his job and deserves a decent retirement.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

What a way to say thank you to someone who was loyal to his life's assignment. There are very few employees at any level who could have done what he has done. Hasn't this retirement date been moved forward in time more than once? Is the goal to push it forward far enough that the succession problem will go away?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

So Heisei 31 will be 120 days long, and the year that follows, __ gan nen will be 245 days long. So even when Japanese know when something is going to occur in the future, they still cling to an irrational means of marking the date. No common sense at all.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

No doubt I'll be shot down for it, but I believe Elizabeth II would have been wiser to do the same.

philly1 - Elizabeth II is very highly regarded in Britain, whereas Charles is seen as a lame duck, so I disagree with you for this particular case, though agree in principle.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

For England, everything is a contract. Charles refused to sign the contract that said if his mother retired, he would not become king. Another waiting game begins! Who will last the longest?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Finally the Kunaicho is giving the poor man a break. But do they really have to drag it out for a nother 2 years? Planning the ceremony surely can not that that long.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Got a suggestion for naming the new era, how about calling it "Anno diem" and start with 2018?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Got a suggestion for naming the new era, how about calling it "Anno diem" and start with 2018?

Call it whatever you want, but do it from January 1, not May 1.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

kyToday  02:18 pm JST

“April the 1st, are they kidding.”

What are are you talking about? What’s happening that day?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Looking at the 11 pictures in this story, starting on the left, seems to tell a sad story: unhappy-looking royals; the Emperor smiling and waving good bye as he plans a long-deserved retirement; a meeting room full of geriatrics, then Abe's dour-looking face, then more meetings, then Abe and more government hacks in a car.

There are more pictures of Abe than of the Emperor himself.

Thank you for your years of service, 今上天皇. I hope you enjoy your golden years without the Kunaicho and LDP pushing you around.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Abe isn't happy at all with this, that's why he looks so grumpy in the pictures.

Tonight's "news" was an hour of drivel, like they never expected this announcement at all even though it was obvious Abe would push for the latest possible date. They had a look back at the Heisei era, even though it still has 15 months to go. Then they talked about what "duties" the retired emperor might have, completely failing to grasp the idea of retirement in doing so.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I’m not a fan of adbdication but I’m pleased that this bus been settled at last for Him! Although I still think and agree with cracaphat that they are dragging it out in purpose in the hope that nature will take its course before the politics has to!

Philly1

After the debacle of the last abdication and the effect it had on Elizabeth II as a child you can forgive her for not wishing to put the nation through that again! She enjoys some of the highest ratings in terms of popularity of any monarch in the world and takes her coronation oaths very seriously!

Monarchy is not a popularity contest and we can’t just pick and choose who we think would best at it! Give it 10 years and the same people who are cheering for William to take over next will be saying that he’s too old and not representative any more that he should give way for George!

People are fickle and not patient! Also Charles enjoys a decent popularity rating so don’t write him off just yet! People are afraid of change not him!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The British monarchy go out of their way to be exceptional human beings not just adored mearly due to a perceived right. They excell and work hard to be roll models and support those that suffer from government mistakes. The "Emperor" (misleading as an Emperor resides over several lands) has shown a king ship with not just his own subjects but also others. The LDP and Household agency have run this family into mental illness for what?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

By moving it to the middle of Golden Week instead?

_____-

By moving it to the birthday of Emperor Showa instead.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The Emperor accepted the job with constant responsibilities but which comes with extreme levels of privilege. Letting him retire from his symbolic position is a generous compromise given the benefits his family and descendants receive.

The tradition of the Japanese royal family is important but it is of symbolic importance. Naruhito- you are up!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's rude for Japan's government to decide his majesty Heisei's abdication date...

It's not rude; it is a rule under a constitutional monarchy, where the emperor is not above the law (made by law makers). And that's why the emperor himself went extra distance in expressing his opinion WITHOUT demanding.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

No doubt I'll be shot down for it, but I believe Elizabeth II would have been wiser to do the same.

She doesn't want to abdicate, Why should she, she is still fit and healthy for her age.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My goodness. With all this talk about abdication, you'd think the date would've been much closer.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They wanted to give everyone the opportunity to reminisce on 30 years of the Heisei era, not just 28 or 29....of course there could be revolutionary age defying drugs by then also. I wouldn't be surprised.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wow it takes over 5 years to decide something like this. Imagine how much man hours were used to discuss this issue with an obvious and practical solution. Its shocking to see how they waste the money and time.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Princess Aiko, turned 16 - the age women are allowed to marry under Japan's constitution

If I was her, I'd marry ASAP , just to be given right a real life and not be a lifelong bird in a cage like her grandpa and father. Being made to waiting 16 months, at his age, it's cruelly long.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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