Japan
Why abdication Akihito’s is difficult
In a rare TV address, Japan’s Emperor Akihito has expressed that he would not be able to cope with the demands of his office. The DW explained Akihito’s role and the Problem of abdication.
What is the function of the Emperor in Japanese politics after the Second world war, and how Akihito has filled this role?
According to the Constitution of 1947, the Japanese Emperor is “the Symbol of the state and of national unity. His Position is derived from the will of the people, the holder of sovereign Power.”
The Constitution prohibits the Tenno explicitly any government function, he is also not the official head of state. All his official acts – such as the appointment of the Prime Minister – are set by Parliament – or Cabinet decisions. To Express the desire to abdicate would be regarded as a political interference, because there is a change in the law would be necessary.
Emperor Akihito has come to terms in contrast to his father, Hirohito, with the purely symbolic function of his office, and he has campaigned for reconciliation with the former war opponents. He visited in 1992, China, where he found words of regret for the war, sorry. He also remembered the Fallen on both sides in the theatre of war in Okinawa and in the Pacific.
What Reputation the Emperor to the Japanese people?
The Emperor and his family, with a supposedly over 2000 years, line of ancestors belong to the oldest monarchy in the world, are revered in Japan. When Akihito’s father died in 1989, the country sank into a week long mourning and public life came to a standstill, what Akihito pointed out in its present televised address once again.
Akihito married in 1959, the civil Michiko, a Tennis acquaintance, and prevailed against the conservative court office. The Couple enjoys until of today large popularity. According to a recent survey conducted by the Kyodo news Agency, more than 85 percent of the Japanese are for a change in the law that would allow the abdication of the Emperor.
Emperor Akihito’s indirect abdication of the request came as a shock to many Japanese
What is the Problem with an abdication of the Japanese Emperor?
The Constitution does not provide for arrangements for the abdication of the Emperor and the Surrender of his office to a successor. An Amendment to the law on the Imperial household would be necessary. Conservative politicians like Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are considered to be opponents of such a Reform.
In this respect, a claim to the throne by the crown Prince is, as yet, only after the death of the incumbent. Satoru Yamamotu left in 1984 as a spokesman for the Imperial Hofamtes not say that the law on the Imperial household to allow an abdication, because the purpose of this act is “to maintain the Status of the Emperor.”
Although the above-mentioned law contains the possibility that the crown Prince can exercise his duties, should no longer be the Emperor. To do this, Akihito said in his TV speech: “this, Too, would not change the fact that the Emperor, the Emperor would remain until the end of his life, even if he could no longer fulfill its resulting obligations in full.”
Prime Minister Abe stated after the speech of the Emperor, that given the age of the Emperor and the burden of his official duties is necessary to consider what steps you should take.
Who will be the successor Akihito’s?
The current successor to the chrysanthemum throne, the 56-year-old crown Prince Naruhito, has already taken over some of the tasks of his father, while this has pulled back a bit. Currently, only male offspring will come into consideration. Since Naruhitos only child is a daughter, would fall to the successor after his brother Prince Akishino, who has a nine-year-old son, Hisahito,. The introduction of a female succession to the throne is a sensitive topic in Japan, where the strong conservative forces against such a step.