Japan looks at steps to allow Emperor's abdication in two years - media reports (updated)

Nozaki Insatsu Shigyo

11/01/2017 04:41

* Next year, Emperor Akihito will have been on throne for 30 
years 
    * Emperor has had heart surgery, been treated for prostate 
cancer 
    * Recommendations expected from panel discussing abdication 
 
 (Adds details throughout) 
    TOKYO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Japan's government is planning 
legal steps that would allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate and his 
son to ascend the throne in two years, media reported on 
Wednesday, potentially setting the stage for the first 
abdication in two centuries.  
    Japanese Emperor Akihito, 83, hinted in August that he 
wanted to abdicate, saying he worried that age might make it 
difficult for him to carry out his duties fully.  
    Once considered divine, the emperor has no political power, 
but is defined in the constitution as a symbol of the state and 
the unity of the people. Under current law, abdication is not 
possible. 
    However, reports in all of Japan's mainstream newspapers 
including the Nikkei, said the government was considering steps 
that would allow Akihito to abdicate and for 56-year-old Crown 
Prince Naruhito to ascend the throne on Jan. 1, 2019. 
    The abdication itself would take place on Dec. 31, 2018, or 
Jan. 1, some reports said. 
    Akihito, who has had heart surgery and been treated for 
prostate cancer, said in August that 2018 would mark his 30th 
year on the throne, which was taken as a tacit expression of 
when he would like to step down.  
    He ascended the throne after the 1989 death of his father, 
Hirohito, in whose name Japan fought World War Two, and has 
worked to heal the wounds of the conflict in Asia during trips 
overseas. 
    A panel of experts that began discussing the issue of his 
potential abdication late last year is expected to make 
recommendations later this year. The government could submit a 
special law to parliament on abdication as early as this spring, 
the reports said. 
    Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said on Wednesday 
that he was unaware of any such development and declined to 
comment, citing the ongoing discussions. 
    Opinion polls show a majority in favour of allowing 
abdication. But, media reports say there would be unsufficient 
time to prepare by 2018. 
    The reports said that pinning the change to Jan 1, 2019 
would minimise inconvenience due to the Japanese custom of 
"reign names" that take effect as soon as an emperor ascends the 
throne and enumerate how long he has reigned. Akihito's reign 
name is "Heisei" and this year is Heisei 29.  
    Shares in printing companies skyrocketed on Tuesday in 
anticipation of the printing needs required by a new reign name, 
with Nozaki Insatsu Shigyo Co Ltd  7919.T  surging 32.8 percent, 
but most had trimmed gains by noon on Wednesday. 
     
 
 (Reporting by Elaine Lies and Daiki Iga,; Editing by Simon 
Cameron-Moore) 
 ((elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging: 
elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com)) 
 
Keywords: JAPAN ROYALS/ABDICATION