Japan monarchy roiled over abdication reports

AFP, TOKYO: Japan’s ancient monarchy was in tumult Thursday, with the imperial household insisting its ageing emperor had no plans to abdicate after reports he wanted to step aside.
Respected national broadcaster NHK—citing palace and other sources—said Wednesday that Akihito wanted to pass the throne to his son.
Any such abdication—the first since 1817 -- would be a severe jolt to a country where the 2,600-year-old royal family symbolises stability and continuity.
Media watchers say NHK and Kyodo News, which separately carried a similar report, would be extremely careful before committing on such an explosive story.
But the Imperial Household Agency, the tradition-steeped government body that runs royal affairs, was categorical in its denial.
“It is absolutely not true,” Vice Grand Steward Shinichiro Yamamoto told reporters late Wednesday.
The emperor “has long refrained from discussing systematic issues out of consideration for his majesty’s constitutional position,” he told reporters.
The throne, which Japan claims to be one of the world’s oldest, is held in deep respect by much of the public, despite being largely stripped of its mystique and quasi-divine status in the aftermath of World War II.
Akihito’s father, Hirohito, in whose name Japan’s military campaigns of the 20th century were prosecuted, was treated as a living god until defeat in 1945.
While the role of emperor is now largely ceremonial, it remains intensely important to right wingers, especially because of the monarch’s position at the apex of the native Shinto religion.

 

Japan monarchy roiled over abdication reports

AFP, TOKYO: Japans ancient monarchy was in tumult Thursday, with the imperial household insisting its ageing emperor had no plans to abdicate after reports he wanted to step aside. Respected national broadcaster NHKciting palace and other sourcessaid Wednesday that Akihito wanted to pass the throne to his son. Any such abdicationthe first since 1817 -- would be a severe jolt to a country where the 2,600-year-old royal family symbolises stability and continuity. Media watchers say NHK and Kyodo News, which separately carried a similar report, would be extremely careful before committing on such an explosive story. But the Imperial Household Agency, the tradition-steeped government body that runs royal affairs, was categorical in its denial. It is absolutely not true, Vice Grand Steward Shinichiro Yamamoto told reporters late Wednesday. The emperor has long refrained from discussing systematic issues out of consideration for his majestys constitutional position, he told reporters. The throne, which Japan claims to be one of the worlds oldest, is held in deep respect by much of the public, despite being largely stripped of its mystique and quasi-divine status in the aftermath of World War II. Akihitos father, Hirohito, in whose name Japans military campaigns of the 20th century were prosecuted, was treated as a living god until defeat in 1945. While the role of emperor is now largely ceremonial, it remains intensely important to right wingers, especially because of the monarchs position at the apex of the native Shinto religion.