The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.
© KYODOCabinet OKs bill to allow 1st abdication of emperor in 200 years
TOKYO©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.
The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.
© KYODO
20 Comments
Login to comment
Yubaru
I personally would like to see the new Emperor make the same request when he becomes of an appropriate age or if necessary. These politicians only have their own interests and heart it seems and care little for the man that supposedly is the figure head and leader of the country.
I wouldn't treat my own family in this manner.
Just keep on repeating the same thing over and over, just because something wasn't there does not mean it can not occur. There really was no need to create a special "law" for this, they could have made it a hell of a lot easier.
I just hope the Emperor is genki and enjoys his retirement in peace!
FightingViking
Since the first person to rule over Japan was Princess Himiko, I don't quite understand why they have decided women can no longer rule ? Especially since Dear Leader has been saying so much about women getting "more important roles" in society...
As for the Emperor's abdication - I would have thought he should be the first to decide whether or not he can allow himself to "retire".
Cortes Elijah
Better headline:
"85 Year Old Man Get's Chance To Have Freedom"
Got to love how the government can push through laws like the gambling laws as fast as they want (they get rich) but laws that don't make the politicians richer take ages.
lucabrasi
Like Toasted, I'm not big on monarchies, but he certainly seems to have done enough to earn a bit of peace. And if his son's got his wits about him, he'll push vigorously for the right to abdicate when he sees fit, as a condition for taking over.
Toasted Heretic
Good luck to him. Am no fan of any monarchy but time to give the guy a break and loosen up all the archaic rules.
joyridingonthetitanic
Well its about time!
Considering that The Emperor made his intentions clear less than a year ago, this has passed relatively smoothly and quickly and with out too much compromise. I wish the Empreror and the Empress all the best in their retirement!
Jimizo
I'm no apologist for monarchies but I'm glad he'll be able to put his feet up. Seems a decent enough fella.
Toasted Heretic
It appears there's quite a few monarchists lurking, don't be shy.
MarkX
Nobody is mentioning that we are losing the December 23rd holiday, and it's being shifted to Feb. 23. That sucks. It was always nice to have that day just before Christmas. I think for a lot of schools it marked the end of the classes before the winter vacation started. Hopefully they will keep the holiday and rename it.
Tamarama
200 years ago is pretty recently. What's all the fuss about?
Jimizo
Oh, give us a break. Just have a piss-up with slurred speeches and give a gold watch .
As I said, he seems like a nice fella and would probably be embarrassed by the kind of silliness you're waffling about.
mtuffizi
his has a child like smile in the picture, happy for him.
Pasm Pasm
Jimizo
Do you really think that, I am sad to hear it :/
How dare you think that the Emperor is not agree with the foreigner's policy :o
Yes he is !
Because far right politics come from monarchy !
Glory and Honor to the Emperor of Japan !!!
jcapan
MarkX that was the key takeaway for me too.
Toasted Heretic
Oh yes; no disagreement with you on that. But tradition and it's adherents can be a tough thing to shake.
There's one of the Scandi countries (forgive me, forget which) that has a good alternative; the royals hold "proper" jobs and the pomp and ceremony is very low key. I think that's more likely for other countries that have popular monarchies, rather than outright abolishment.
Goodlucktoyou
met him only twice. I hate monarchs. Bt he is one man (and his wife) who i have some respect for. my suspicion is that he is being pushed out for being too peaceful, at a time Japan is militarising and leaning right.
Frederic Bastiat
The archaic system of monarchies is long overdue to be abolished.
Pasm Pasm
I hope I will come to Japan before December 2018 to go to those both ritual ceremonial (if it's open to public), it must be a wonderful ceremonies that can only be lived every centuries, once in a lifetime.
Toasted Heretic
I like to think I have a reasonable amount of knowledge regarding Japanese culture but I know little of the monarchy and how it's thought of in Japan. Probably due to my aforementioned lack of appreciation for royalty, I guess. Is the monarchy a big thing in Japan? Like, really big?
mmwkdw
I wouldn't be surprised if he dies just before his abdication... as that would sort of make things less complicated. And if that happens, then the Right wingers really have control here, and it's time to move out.