"Emperor Akihito" redirects here. For emperor of the same name, seeEmperor Sutoku.
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Akihito[a] (born 23 December 1933) is a member of theImperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125themperor of Japan from 7 January 1989 untilhis abdication on 30 April 2019. The era of his rule was named theHeisei era, Heisei being an expression of achieving peace worldwide.[1]
Akihito was born as the fifth child and first son ofEmperor Shōwa andEmpress Kōjun. During theSecond World War, he moved out of Tokyo with his classmates and remained inNikkō until thesurrender of Japan. In 1952, his Coming-of-Age ceremony and investiture ascrown prince were held, and he began to undertake official duties in his capacity as crown prince.[2] The next year, he made his first journey overseas and represented Japan at thecoronation of Elizabeth II in London. He completed his university education in 1956. In April 1959, he marriedMichiko Shōda, a commoner; it was the first imperial wedding to be televised in Japan, drawing about 15 million viewers.[3] The couple has three children:Naruhito,Fumihito, andSayako.
Akihito succeeded to theChrysanthemum Throne and became emperor uponhis father's death in January 1989, with anenthronement ceremony in 1990. He made efforts to bring theJapanese imperial family closer to the Japanese people, and made official visits to all forty-sevenprefectures of Japan and to many of the remoteislands of Japan. He has a keen interest in natural life and conservation, as well as Japanese and world history.[2] Akihitoabdicated in 2019, citing his advanced age and declining health,[4] and assumed the titleEmperor Emeritus (上皇,Jōkō;lit.'Retired Emperor'). He was succeeded by his elder son, Naruhito, whose era is namedReiwa (令和). At age91, Akihito is the longest-lived verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history. During his reign, 17 prime ministers served in 25 terms, beginning withNoboru Takeshita and ending withShinzo Abe. He is the oldest living member of the Imperial House of Japan, following the death ofYuriko, Princess Mikasa on 15 November 2024.[b]
Name
During his reign, Akihito was never referred to by his own name, but instead as "His Majesty the Emperor" (天皇陛下,Tennō Heika) which may be shortened to "the Emperor" (天皇,Tennō) or "His Majesty" (陛下,Heika).[5] The era of Akihito's reign from 1989 to 2019 bore theera nameHeisei (平成), and according to custom he will beposthumously renamed Emperor Heisei (平成天皇,Heisei Tennō) as the 125th emperor of Japan by order of theCabinet.
Following his abdication, he is referred to by the title ofJōkō (上皇), officially translated as "Emperor Emeritus".[6][7][8][9]
Early life and education
One year old Akihito with his motherEmpress Nagako, 1934
Prince Akihito (明仁親王,Akihito Shinnō) was born on 23 December 1933 at 6:39 am in theTokyo Imperial Palace as the fifth child and eldest son ofEmperor Shōwa andEmpress Kōjun. TitledPrince Tsugu (継宮,Tsugu-no-miya) as a child, Akihito was educated by private tutors prior to attending the elementary and secondary departments of the Peers' School (Gakushūin) from 1940 to 1952.[2] At the request of his father, he did not receive a commission as an army officer, unlike his predecessors.
A Japanese stamp commemorating the imperial wedding, 1959
In August 1957, Akihito metMichiko Shōda[2][10] on atennis court atKaruizawa nearNagano. Initially, there was little enthusiasm for the couple's relationship; Michiko Shōda was considered too low class for the young Crown Prince and had been educated in aCatholic environment. Therefore, in September 1958, she was sent away to Brussels to attend an international conference of the Alumnae du Sacré-Cœur. The Crown Prince was determined to keep in contact with his girlfriend but did not want to create a diplomatic incident. Therefore, he contacted the young KingBaudouin of Belgium to send his messages directly to his loved one. Baudouin later negotiated the marriage of the couple with the Emperor, directly stating that if the Crown Prince was happy with Michiko, he would be a better emperor later on.[11]
TheImperial Household Council formally approved the engagement of the Crown Prince to Michiko Shōda on 27 November 1958. The announcement of the then-Crown Prince Akihito's engagement and forthcoming marriage to Michiko Shōda drew opposition from traditionalist groups, because Shōda was from a Catholic family.[12] Although she was never baptized, she had been educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share her parents' faith. Rumours also speculated that Prince Akihito's mother,Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After the death of Empress Kōjun on 16 June 2000,Reuters reported that she was one of the strongest opponents of her son's marriage, and that in the 1960s, she had driven her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to depression by persistently accusing Shōda of not being suitable for her son.[13][failed verification] At that time, the media presented their encounter as a real "fairy tale",[14] or the "romance of the tennis court". It was the first time acommoner had married into the Imperial Family, breaking more than 2,600 years of tradition.[15][16] The engagement ceremony took place on 14 January 1959, and the marriage on 10 April 1959.
The couple have three children (two sons and a daughter):
Sayako, Princess Nori (紀宮清子内親王,Nori-no-miya Sayako Naishinnō; born 18 April 1969 at Imperial Household Agency Hospital inTokyo Imperial Palace,Tokyo), following her marriage tourban designer Yoshiki Kuroda on 15 November 2005, Princess Nori gave up her imperial title and left theImperial Family as required by1947 Imperial Household Law, took the surname of her husband and became known as "Sayako Kuroda" (黒田清子,Kuroda Sayako).
Akihito and Michiko arriving atAndrews Air Force Base in their last foreign visit as crown prince and princess, 1987 (Shōwa 62)
Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko made official visits to thirty-seven countries. As an Imperial Prince, Akihito compared the role of Japanese royalty to that of a robot. He expressed the desire to help bring theImperial family closer to the people of Japan.[17]
Following his accession, he began issuing several wide-ranging statements of remorse toAsian countries, for their suffering under Japanese occupation, beginning with an expression of remorse toChina made in April 1989, three months after the death of his father, Emperor Shōwa. In October 1992, Akihito visited China, the first visit to China by a Japanese emperor. The visit marked a significant improvement in theChina–Japan relationship.[20]
On 23 December 2001, during his annual birthday meeting with reporters, the Emperor, in response to a reporter's question about tensions withSouth Korea, remarked that he felt a kinship withKoreans and went on to explain that, in theShoku Nihongi, the mother ofEmperor Kammu (736–806) is related toMuryeong of Korea,King of Baekje, a fact that was considered taboo for discussion.[21][22]
In June 2005, the Emperor and Empress visited the island ofSaipan (part of theNorthern Mariana Islands, aU.S. territory),[23] the site of abattle in 1944 duringWorld War II. Akihito offered prayers and flowers at several memorials, honouring not only the Japanese who died, but also American servicemen, Korean labourers, and local islanders. It was the first trip by a Japanese monarch to a World War II battlefield abroad. The Saipan journey was received with high praise by the Japanese people, as were the Emperor's visits to war memorials inTokyo,Hiroshima Prefecture,Nagasaki Prefecture andOkinawa Prefecture in 1995.
After succeeding to the throne, Akihito made an effort to bring the Imperial family closer to the Japanese people. He and Michiko made official visits to eighteen countries and to all forty-sevenJapanese prefectures.[2] Akihito has never visitedYasukuni Shrine, continuing his predecessor's boycott from 1978, due to its enshrinement of war criminals.[24]
On 6 September 2006, the Emperor celebrated the birth of his first grandson,Prince Hisahito, the third child of the Emperor's younger son.Prince Hisahito was the first male heir born to the Japanese imperial family in 41 years (since his fatherPrince Akishino) and could avert theJapanese imperial succession crisis, as the only child of the Emperor's elder son, the thenCrown Prince Naruhito, is his daughter,Princess Aiko, who is not eligible for the throne underJapan's male-only succession law. The birth of Prince Hisahito meant that proposed changes to the law to allow Aiko to ascend the throne were dropped.[25][26]
Under theConstitution of Japan, Akihito's role was entirely representative and ceremonial in nature, without even a nominal role in government; indeed, he was not allowed to make political statements. He was limited to acting in matters of state as delineated in the Constitution. Even in those matters, he was bound by the requirements of the Constitution and the binding advice of the Cabinet. For instance, while he formally appointed the Prime Minister, he was required to appoint the person designated by the Diet.[29][30]
Akihito, atChōwaden Reception Hall, giving his final New Year's address as Emperor to the Japanese people, January 2019
On 13 July 2016, national broadcasterNHK reported that the then 82-year-old Emperor intended toabdicate in favour of his eldest sonCrown Prince Naruhito within a few years, citing his age. An abdication within theImperial Family had not occurred sinceEmperor Kōkaku in 1817. However, senior officials within theImperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. Abdication by the Emperor required an amendment to theImperial Household Law, which had no provisions for such a move.[31][32] On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health;[33] this address was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate.[34]
On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by theCabinet of Japan. On 8 June 2017, theNational Diet passed it, whereupon it became known as theEmperor Abdication Law. This commenced government preparations to hand the position over to Naruhito.[35] Prime MinisterShinzo Abe announced in December 2017 that Akihito's abdication would take place at the end of 30 April 2019, and that Naruhito would become the 126th Emperor as of 1 May 2019.[4]
On 19 March 2020, Akihito and his wife moved out of the Imperial Palace, marking their first public appearance since his abdication.[36] On 31 March, they moved in to theTakanawa Residence.[37]
In December 2021, Akihito celebrated his 88th birthday (米寿,Bēju), making him the longest-living verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history, ahead of his father.[38] His daily routine is said to include morning and evening walks with his wife, reading and visits to an imperial biology institute.[39]
In August 2023, Akihito and Michiko visited the tennis court where they first met and interacted with members of the organization responsible for its upkeep.[40]
Emperor Akihito underwent surgery forprostate cancer on 14 January 2003.[42] Later in 2011 he was admitted to hospital suffering frompneumonia.[43] In February 2012, it was announced that the Emperor would be having a coronary examination;[44] he underwent successful heart bypass surgery on 18 February 2012.[45] In July 2018, he suffered from nausea and dizziness due to insufficient blood flow to his brain. In January 2020, he temporarily lost consciousness and collapsed at his residence, though "no abnormalities" were detected in his brain.[46] He was diagnosed with heart failure in July 2022.[47] In 2025, Akihito was diagnosed withmyocardial ischemia[48] andsupraventricular tachycardia.[49]
In extension of his father's interest inmarine biology, who publishedtaxonomic works on theHydrozoa, the Emperor Emeritus is a publishedichthyological researcher, and has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of thefamilyGobiidae.[50] He has written papers for scholarly journals such asGene, Ichthyological Research, and theJapanese Journal of Ichthyology.[51][52]He has also written papers about thehistory of science during theEdo andMeiji eras, which were published inScience[53] andNature.[54] In 2005, a newly described goby was namedExyrias akihito in his honour, and in 2007 a genusAkihito of gobies native to Vanuatu also received his name. In 2021, the Imperial Household Agency announced Akihito had discovered two new species of goby fish. The discovery was catalogued in an English-language journal published by the Ichthyological Society of Japan.[55][56]
In 1965, then-Crown Prince Akihito sent 50Nile tilapia to Thai KingBhumibol Adulyadej in response to a request for fish that could solve malnutrition issues in the country. The species has since become a major food source in Thailand and a major export.[57]
The following tables include official visits jointly made by the Emperor and Empress from 1991 to 2017.[73][74][75] Although Empress Michiko has made two official visits on her own, in 2002 (to Switzerland) and 2014 (to Belgium), they did not include the Emperor and are not included in this list.
Invited by Sweden and the United Kingdom to mark the 300th birth anniversary ofCarl von Linné as an honorary member of theLinnean Society; invited by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to conduct a state visit.
"To foster friendly relations on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the normalization ofdiplomatic relations at the invitation of the Philippines"
Akihito's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.
Patrilineal descent is the principle behind membership in royal houses, as it can be traced back through the generations, which means that Akihito is a member of theImperial House of Japan.
Imperial House of Japan
Descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but traditionally traced back patrilineally toEmperor Jimmu
^ Akihito's older sister,Atsuko Ikeda, formerly Atsuko, Princess Yori, was born 7 March 1931, however, Japanese law requires princesses who marry to give up imperial status if not marrying the emperor or another male member of the imperial family.
^"Bundeskanzler Anfragebeantwortung" [Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour](PDF) (in German). p. 1298.Archived(PDF) from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved27 January 2017.
^"Den kongelige norske Sanct Olavs Orden",Norges Statskalender for Aaret 1954 (in Norwegian), Oslo: Forlagt av H. Aschehoug & Co. (w. Nygaard), 1954, pp. 1441–1442 – via runeberg.org
^䝪䞊䜲䝇䜹䜴䝖日本連盟 きじ章受章者 [Recipient of the Golden Pheasant Award of the Scout Association of Japan](PDF).Reinanzaka Scout Club (in Japanese). 23 May 2014. Archived fromthe original(PDF) on 11 August 2020.
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