giving Parliament a green light to permit the first abdication in the nation’s modern history. The emperor expressed his desire to abdicate in August, citing his age, sparking a debate about suc ...

Emperor Akihito's reported wish to abdicate and pass on the throne to Crown Prince Naruhito should be respected by amending relevant laws to make the transition possible once a public consensus is ...

The bill is designed to enable the abdication as a one-off, exceptional case without changing the basic framework for Imperial succession. Emperor Akihito reportedly expected that the debate on ...

The government is reportedly seeking to allow the Emperor's abdication by enacting a special law to avoid divisive issues, including a possible female succession. Akihito and his wife Michiko have ...