Japanese Emperor Akihito is set to step down from the throne on Tuesday, which will make him the first monarch to abdicate in more than 200 years. The emperor in Japan holds no political power but serves as a national symbol. In the first private ceremonies of the day, the emperor reported his abdication to the mythological ancestors of Japan's imperial family. The Taiirei-Seiden-nogi, or main Ceremony of the Abdication of His Majesty the Emperor, is expected to take place at the Matsu-no-Ma stateroom in the Imperial Palace. It begins at 17:00 local time (08:00 GMT) with Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko entering the room and will last about 10 minutes.

Source: The Star April 30, 2019 05:15 UTC