Emperor Akihito (明仁天皇, Akihito-tennō, born 23 December 1933) (known simply as Akihito) is the former emperor of Japan. He reigned from 1989 to 2019. He was the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession.[1] He is head of the Imperial House of Japan.
Akihito became emperor after the death of his father in 1989, who was Emperor Shōwa. The current emperor's official reign name is Heisei (establishing peace).[2]
Abdication
The Japanese government announced in December 2017 that Akihito would abdicate on 30 April 2019.[3] He then did so in a brief ceremony on that date.[4]
What the emperor does
The emperor has many duties and responsibilities. For example, he regularly
takes part in affairs of according to the Constitution of Japan.[5]
attends various events and ceremonies held at the Imperial Palace.[6]
Akihito directly addressed his subjects in a television broadcast after the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. This was the first time any emperor used television in this way.[14]