
Sponsored by Sankei Newspaper
Japanese Emperor Makes Rare Public Address Regarding Feelings, Talk Of Abdication
- Source:
- NHK
Related Article
-
Japanese Embroidery Artist Paints With Needle And Thread To Create Miniature Artwork Of Food
-
Up your work-from-home production with this Japanese privacy tent
-
Tokyo Noodle Chain Unleashes Behemoth “Strong Ramen”
-
Meiji Era-Style Starbucks To Open Up Outside Hot Springs That Inspired Spirited Away
-
Pokémon Rowlet’s First Time Visiting Friends At Akihabara’s Owl Forest
-
Celebrate Crayon Shin-chan’s 30th anniversary at Tokyo Anime Center this April
In a ten minute recorded video message, Emperor Akihito of Japan has addressed the public regarding the status of the Emperor as a symbol of the state, as well as his age and health.
While the Emperor expressed concern over the difficulties to continue out his duties at the age of 82, he refrained from explicitly expressing a wish to abdicate. The Japanese Constitution stipulates that the Emperor shall have no powers related to government, and directly expressing a wish to abdicate would be interpreted as political power.
However he made it clear that a gradual decline in physical health will make it difficult for him to continue his duties, while noting a need for the Emperor to continue as a symbol of the state.
Here is a full translation of the speech, courtesy of NHK:
For the Emperor to actually abdicate, new measures and provisions accommodating that would have to be put in place.