Japan’s emperor is first to abdicate throne in two centuries

Japan’s Emperor Akihito on Tuesday abdicated his throne to allow for the succession of his son, ending three decades of reign in the largely symbolic role.

Bloomberg News reported that Akihito told Japan’s citizens of his “deep trust and love” for them alongside his wife, Empress Michiko, the first commoner to marry into the Japanese royal family.

{mosads}“It was a happy thing for me to be able to fulfill the responsibilities of the emperor with deep trust and love for citizens,” Akihito, 85, said Tuesday at an official ceremony according to Bloomberg. “I appreciate with all my heart that citizens accepted and supported me as a symbol.”

LIVE: 天皇陛下、国民に最後のおことば 「退位礼正殿の儀」 https://t.co/nnP38huaED https://t.co/7nCoI6lJD5

— ブルームバーグニュース日本語版 (@BloombergJapan) April 30, 2019

Akihito, who held the role for 31 years, began his reign as emperor in 1989 following the death of his father, Emperor Hirohito, known after his death as Emperor Showa. Akihito is the first Japanese emperor to voluntarily abdicate the throne in more than two centuries, the last time occurring in 1817.

“The emperor will be abdicated today as long as it is reserved. I think about the history of the Emperor and empress who have been always [close to] the people for three decades of Heisei, and I would like to express my sincere gratitude for this opportunity,” Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wrote on Twitter, according to a translation.

天皇陛下におかれましては、本日限りで御退位されます。
平成の三十年、常に国民に寄り添ってこられた天皇皇后両陛下の歩みに思いを致し、この機会に改めて、心から感謝申し上げたいと思います。 pic.twitter.com/oz098saufL

— 安倍晋三 (@AbeShinzo) April 30, 2019

The White House announced last week that President Trump would visit Japan and meet its new emperor, formerly Crown Prince Naruhito, in May. Abe and his wife visited Washington last week.

“The state visit will deepen the close bonds between the American and Japanese people and will highlight the continued importance of our alliance and partnership,” press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a statement.