Japan’s imperial couple faces a nearly unprecedented situation: retirement

Author:

Reuters

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ID:

1554764597334396400

Mon, 2019-04-08 23:00

TOKYO: When Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicates on April 30, he and Empress Michiko will fade into retirement after decades in the spotlight.
The imperial couple’s days have long been busy. They typically hosted hundreds of ceremonies and audiences annually, made at least three domestic trips per year, and have visited over 50 countries.
Nearly all that will end when his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, becomes emperor on May 1 after Akihito steps down, the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in two centuries.