Three decades after he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne, Emperor Akihito on Tuesday became Japan’s first monarch in more than two centuries to abdicate, passing the symbolic but influential role to his eldest son in a brief, unadorned ceremony at the Imperial Palace. The new emperor, Naruhito, who on Wednesday is to receive the sacred imperial regalia that represents his rightful succession to the world’s oldest monarchy, takes the place of an enormously popular monarch. While the role is chiefly ceremonial, the departing emperor acted as the nation’s chief consoler during times of disaster, such as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and sought to make amends throughout Asia for Japan’s wartime atrocities. Conservatives balked at Akihito’s embrace of atonement, but his son is likely to continue his emphasis on pacifism and war remembrance as well as his father’s efforts to bring the monarchy much closer to the people.

Source: International New York Times April 30, 2019 04:15 UTC