Japanese imperial transition, 2019

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Emperor Akihito of Japan is set to abdicate on 30 April 2019, which will make him the first Japanese Emperor to do so in over two centuries. This marks the end of the Heisei period, and will precipitate numerous festivities leading up to the accession of his successor, Crown Prince Naruhito. [1] The enthronement ceremony will likely happen on 22 October 2019. [2] Akihito's younger son, the Prince Fumihito is expected to become his brother's heir presumptive.

Akihito 20th and 21st-century Emperor of Japan

Akihito is the current Emperor of Japan. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) on 7 January 1989. According to Japan's traditional order of succession, he is the 125th member of the world's oldest reigning dynasty. The Japanese government announced in December 2017 that Akihito will abdicate on 30 April 2019 due to his age and declining health.

Emperor of Japan Monarch in Japan

The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family and the head of state of Japan. Under the 1947 constitution, he is defined as "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people." Historically, he was also the highest authority of the Shinto religion. In Japanese, the Emperor is called Tennō (天皇), literally "heavenly sovereign". In English, the use of the term Mikado for the Emperor was once common, but is now considered obsolete.

Heisei period era of Japanese history, starting 8 January 1989 and ending in 30 April 2019

The Heisei period is the current era of Japan. The Heisei period started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when his son, Akihito, acceded to the throne as the 125th Emperor. In accordance with Japanese customs, Hirohito was posthumously renamed "Emperor Shōwa" on 31 January 1989.

Contents

The Emperor and the Constitution

Background

In 2010, Emperor Akihito informed his advisory council that he would eventually like to retire from his demanding job. [3] However, senior members of the Imperial Household Agency did nothing.

Imperial Household Agency civil service

The Imperial Household Agency is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial Family, and also keeping of the Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century AD up to the Second World War, it was named the Imperial Household Ministry.

On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster NHK reported that the Emperor wished to abdicate in favor of his elder son Crown Prince Naruhito within a few years.

NHK Japanese broadcasting company

NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always been known by this romanized acronym in Japanese, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee.

Abdication voluntary or forced renunciation of sovereign power

Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societies, abdication was a regular event, and helped maintain stability during political succession.

Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan heir to the Japanese imperial throne

Naruhito, Crown Prince of Japan is the elder son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, which makes him the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Senior officials within the Imperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. A potential abdication by the Emperor would require an amendment to the Imperial Household Law, which has no provisions for such a move. [4] [5]

The Imperial Household Law of 1947 is a statute in Japanese law that governs the line of imperial succession, the membership of the imperial family, and several other matters pertaining to the administration of the Imperial Household.

Speech to the nation

On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health; [6] this address was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate. [7] [8]

Legislation

With the intention of the abdication now known, the Cabinet Office appointed Yasuhiko Nishimura as the Imperial Household Agency's Vice Grand Steward.

Cabinet Office (Japan) agency in the Cabinet of Japan

The Cabinet Office is an agency of the Cabinet of Japan. It is responsible for handling the day-to-day affairs of the Cabinet. The Cabinet Office is formally headed by the Prime Minister. There are usually three State Ministers (fuku-daijin) and three Parliamentary Vice-Ministers in the Cabinet Office.

In October 2016, the Cabinet Office appointed a panel of experts to debate the Emperor's abdication, which recommended that the law should be a one-off measure for Akihito alone.

In January 2017, the Lower House Budget committee began informally debating the constitutional nature of the abdication. [3]

On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by the Japanese government's cabinet. On 8 June 2017, the National Diet passed a one-off bill allowing Akihito to abdicate, and for the government to begin arranging the process of handing over the position to Crown Prince Naruhito. [9] The abdication has been set to occur on 30 April 2019. [10]

He will receive the title of Jōkō(上皇), an abbreviation of Daijō Tennō (太上天皇, Retired Emperor) upon abdicating, and his wife, the Empress, will become Jōkōgo(上皇后). [11]

Imperial Household Council

On 1 December 2017, the Imperial Household Council, which had not met in 24 years, did so in order to schedule the ceremonials involved in the first such transfer of power in two centuries. [12] [13]

The Imperial Household Council has 10 members including the Prime Minister Shinzō Abe, Speakers/Presidents of the House of Councillors and House of Representatives of the National Diet, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, and two Imperial Family members. Of the latter, Prince Akishino, the Emperor's younger son, has been asked to stand down, as he is an "interested party" in the matter. He was replaced by Prince Hitachi, the Emperor's 82-year-old younger brother, the other one is Hitachi's wife Princess Hanako.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the date was chosen to permit the old Emperor to be able to preside over a 30th anniversary Jubilee and to coincide with the Golden Week annual holiday period, turning the changeover from a period of mourning and makeshift ceremonial into a joyous, well-planned, festival. [14]

Finally, on December 8, 2017, the government created a special committee to oversee the events. According to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga: "It will deal with the matter properly, taking into consideration the possible impact on the people's lives.” [15]

Preparations for the imperial transition 2017–19

The committee met for the first time in January 2018, and the following month announced that a plan called a "basic policy statement," was released on April 3. [16] Official farewell celebrations will begin with a 30th Jubilee ceremony on February 12, 2019, a delay which would avoid any implication of a celebration of the death of Emperor Shōwa on January 7th. [17]

Golden Week, 2019

The government has suggested that the Golden week holidays be consolidated into a special ten day block lasting from April 27 to May 6. Had the transition not been scheduled in advance, April 29 and May 3-6 are already national holidays in 2019, following the weekend of April 27–28. The abdication and enthronement would both be National holidays, and public law states that a regular work day sandwiched between two national holidays would become "Public" holidays. [18]

Calendars

Since the Meiji restoration in 1867, a new Japanese Era starts the day after the old Emperor dies. However, in Emperor Akihito's case, manufacturers of calendars, forms and other paper products will need to know the new Era's name in advance to produce their wares in a timely manner. [19] [20] [8]

While the Era names for the Shōwa and Heisei eras were kept state secrets until the deaths of the old emperors, this will not be possible as the abdication is unprecedented since the first constitution was adopted. In order to prevent divisive debate on the subject, delaying the announcement as late as is practically possible, either the old emperor's birthday or his Jubilee celebrations have been suggested. [21]

Until the Era name becomes known, computers and software manufacturers will need to test their systems before the transition in order to ensure that the new era will be handled correctly by their software. Some systems provide test mechanisms to simulate a new era ahead of time. [22]

Enthronement Ceremony

The Enthronement Ceremony is scheduled to take place on 22 October 2019, marking the end of the transition period. It is to be an extra holiday. [23]

Timeline

2010

Emperor Akihito informs his advisory council that he would like to eventually retire and to help him arrange it.

2016

2017

2018

2019

New Era

2020

See also

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Events in the year 2019 in Japan.

Reiwa period era of Japanese history, starting 1 May 2019

The Reiwa period will be the next era of Japan. The period is expected to start on 1 May 2019, the day when Emperor Akihito's elder son, Naruhito, is expected to ascend to the throne as the 126th Emperor of Japan. Emperor Akihito is expected to abdicate the Chrysanthemum Throne on 30 April 2019, marking the end of Heisei period. The year 2019 corresponds to Heisei 31 until 30 April, and Reiwa 1 from 1 May 2019.

References

  1. ↑ Jiji, Kyodo, "Emperor Akihito's abdication may push back timing of constitutional reform" Japan Times , January 5, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Enthronement ceremony for Japan's next emperor seen in fall 2019- Nikkei Asian Review". Asia.nikkei.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Do Not Let the Emperor's Abdication Be an Occasion for Cynical Political Gain - JAPAN Forward". Japan-forward.com. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  4. ↑ "天皇陛下 「生前退位」の意向示される ("His Majesty The Emperor Indicates His Intention to 'Abdicate'")" (in Japanese). NHK. 13 July 2016. Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  5. ↑ "Japanese Emperor Akihito 'wishes to abdicate'". BBC News. 13 July 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Message from His Majesty The Emperor". The Imperial Household Agency. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Japan's Emperor Akihito hints at wish to abdicate". BBC News. 8 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  8. 1 2 "The Emperor's Abdication: Sixteen Months of Muted Conflict - JAPAN Forward". Japan-forward.com. 9 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Japan passes landmark bill for Emperor Akihito to abdicate". BBC News. 8 June 2017.
  10. ↑ Osaki, Tomohiro (1 December 2017). "Japan sets date for Emperor Akihito's abdication as April 30, 2019". Japantimes.co.jp. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 8 December 2017. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  12. ↑ "April 30 most likely date for Emperor Akihito's abdication: government sources". The Japan Times. 22 November 2017.
  13. ↑ "Gov't to hold meeting Dec 1 to discuss emperor's abdication date". Japan Today. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  14. ↑ "Emperor Akihito to abdicate on April 30, 2019". Japantoday.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  15. ↑ "Special panel set to formally approve Emperor Akihito's abdication date as April 30, 2019". Japantimes.co.jp. 5 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  16. 1 2 NEWS, KYODO. "Basic plan for Japan's imperial succession rites in 2019 approved by gov't".
  17. 1 2 "Government pencils in February 2019 ceremony to mark Emperor's 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne". 15 February 2018 – via Japan Times Online.
  18. ↑ "Plan ahead: Japan to consider 10 consecutive days off around Crown Prince's succession". Japantimes.co.jp. 6 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  19. ↑ "Big headache for calendar publishers if new emperor's era name announcement delayed". Japantimes.co.jp. 14 June 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018– via Japan Times Online.
  20. ↑ "Japan's Heisei Emperor Departs, Taking his Calendar - Asia Sentinel". Asiasentinel.com. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  21. ↑ "Japan may delay release of new era name until year-end or later". 17 February 2018 – via Japan Times Online.
  22. ↑ "The Japanese Calendar's Y2K Moment".
  23. ↑ "Japan May Make New Emperor's Proclamation Date Nonworking Day (News)". 13 February 2018.
  24. 1 2 "Japanese emperor's abdication ceremony to be state occasion". asia.nikkei.com/. 20 February 2018.
  25. ↑ "Japan may not announce new era name until April 11". The Japan Times. 6 December 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.
  26. ↑ https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20181125/p2a/00m/0na/004000c
  27. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 5 April 2018. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  28. ↑ "Japan sticks with tradition and excludes female imperial family members from Crown Prince Naruhito's enthronement". South China Morning Post . Associated Press. March 30, 2018. Yasuhiko Nishimura, vice grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency, said it will hold the Daijosai, or Grand Thanksgiving rite, on November 14 and 15, 2019 – the most important ceremony after enthronement during which the new emperor will eat rice harvested that year to appreciate the country’s bounty of grain.
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