Media reports say the government may consider a special law for one-time abdication just for Akihito as an exception. Japan's post-World War II constitution restricts what the emperor can say as a symbolic monarch with no political power. As expected, Akihito avoided explicit mention of abdication, which could have violated those restrictions. Akihito suggested in his speech a need to consider how to make the succession process smoother. Abdication is not allowed under the current imperial law, largely inherited from the prewar Constitution that banned the practice as a potential risk to political stability.

Source: Fox News August 08, 2016 06:46 UTC