Final bow: Japan’s emperor gives way to Oxford graduate son
JAPAN’S Emperor Akihito became the nation’s first leader to abdicate for more than 200 years yesterday, ushering in a new imperial era.
The 85-year-old’s son Naruhito – a 59-year-old graduate of Merton College, Oxford – became the country’s 126th emperor at midnight last night.
In his final official address, Akihito, who ascended to the throne 30 years ago, said: ‘I have performed my duties as the emperor with a deep sense of trust in and respect for the people and I consider myself most fortunate to have been able to do so.’
Akihito paused before leaving the abdication ceremony at Tokyo’s Imperial Palace yesterday, bowing deeply to 300 invited guests. Naruhito will receive regalia of a sword and jewels as proof of his succession today.
The new emperor, who has a 17-year old daughter with his wife Masako, carried out research at Oxford into the Thames as a commercial highway in the 18th century. He later published a memoir on his two years at the university. Naruhito joins other world leaders educated in Britain, including Pakistan’s Imran Khan, who studied at Keble College, Oxford, and Iran’s Hassan Rouhani, who went to Glasgow Caledonian University.