Japan’s emperor Akihito should be allowed to abdicate, according to a government panel, in what would be an unprecedented move that reflects the 82-year-old monarch’s fears for his health and ability to continue to carry out his official duties.



The panel of six experts was set up after Akihito made a rare televised address in August in which he said he wanted an orderly imperial succession – typically cautious wording that many interpreted as a desire to abdicate.

“I am concerned it may become difficult for me to carry out my duties as the symbol of the state with my whole body and soul as I have done so far,” he said.

This week, the panel said it would support legislation to allow Akihito to step down unconditionally, with his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito, becoming the 126th occupant of the Chrysanthemum throne.

“It is desirable to think of [an emperor’s abdication] in the context of the times, given that political and economic conditions as well as public awareness could change in the future,” one of the six panel members was quoted as saying by fellow panelist Takashi Mikuriya, who briefed reporters.

The panel will release a report next month, with a debate in parliament to start soon after, according to Kyodo News.

Akihito’s relinquishing of a throne whose lineage some royalists say stretches back 2,600 years would require one-off legislation, since the imperial household law does not contain a provision for a living succession.

Japan’s citizens were reminded of Akihito’s health issues on Friday when he was forced to cancel his morning duties after coming down with a fever. Earlier this month, Empress Michiko, who is also 82, was diagnosed with bronchitis but has made a full recovery.

Akihito, who has had surgery for prostate cancer and a heart bypass, was also diagnosed with flu in February.

The last time Japan saw a monarch abdicate was when Kokaku gave up the chrysanthemum throne in 1817.

While no longer considered a living god after his father, Hirohito, was stripped of his divine status at the end of the second world war, Akihito is regarded as a symbol of national unity and stability and has frequently used his public role to promote reconciliation with former victims of Japanese wartime aggression.



Akihito hinted late last year that his ceremonial duties were becoming increasingly difficult to carry out. In 2015, he performed 270 official duties, including meetings with dignitaries from overseas.



The monarch, who turns 83 on 23 December, admitted to having made mistakes during ceremonies and that he felt his age “more often”.

Under the male-only succession law, Crown Prince Naruhito’s only child, 15-year-old Princess Aiko, cannot ascend the throne. The next in line after Naruhito is his brother, Akishino, followed by his 10-year-old son, Hisahito.