Japan monarchy denies abdication reports

Any such abdication — the first since 1817 — would be a severe jolt to the country

Japan’s ancient monarchy was in tumult yesterday, 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 82-year-old Akihito wanted to pass the throne to his eldest son sometime within the next few years.

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 since the Second World War.

Worshipped by all

Akihito’s father, Hirohito, in whose name Japan’s military campaigns of the 20th century were prosecuted, was treated as a living deity 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.

Among their number is Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who at the weekend scored an election win that may give him the momentum to soften Japan’s pacifist constitution.

The emperor, who has suffered from numerous health issues, including prostate cancer and heart problems, himself spoke late last year of his growing limitations.

He acknowledged making “mistakes” in his duties, which range from native Shinto religious ceremonies to visiting residents in regions hit by Japan’s frequent natural disasters.

Akihito’s reign as emperor, now in its 28th year, has been characterised by an unprecedented openness.

He has touched on sensitive issues, including his own ancestry, suggesting in 2001 that some of his forebears came from the Korean peninsula.