is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th

emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...

from 7 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. He presided over the Heisei era, ''Heisei'' being an expression of achieving peace worldwide. Born in the

Empire of Japan The also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was a historical nation-state and great power that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 until the enactment of the post-World War II 1947 constitution and subsequent form ...

in 1933, Akihito is the first son of Emperor Shōwa and Empress Kōjun. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

, he moved out of Tokyo with his classmates, and remained in Nikkō until 1945. In 1952, his Coming-of-Age ceremony and investiture as

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the w ...

were held, and he began to undertake official duties in his capacity as crown prince. The next year, he made his first journey overseas and represented Japan at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom. He completed his university education in 1956. In 1959, he married Michiko Shōda, a

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

; it was the first imperial wedding to be televised in Japan, drawing about 15 million viewers. The couple have three children: Naruhito, Fumihito, and

Sayako Sayako (written: 清子 or 紗冶子) is a feminine Japanese given name. Notable people with the name include: * , a former princess of the Japanese Imperial Family, daughter and youngest child of Emperor Akihito * , Japanese television personali ...

. Upon the death of his father in 1989, Akihito succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne. His enthronement ceremony followed in 1990. He has made efforts to bring the imperial family closer to the Japanese people, and has made official visits to all forty-seven

prefectures of Japan Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (, ''todōfuken'', ), which rank immediately below the national government and form the country's first level of jurisdiction and administrative division. They include 43 prefectures proper (, '' ken''), tw ...

and to many of the remote islands of Japan. He has a keen interest in natural life and conservation, as well as Japanese and world history. Akihito abdicated in 2019, citing his advanced age and declining health, and assumed the title Emperor Emeritus. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito. At age , Akihito is the longest-lived verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history. During Akihito's reign, he was served by 17 prime ministers beginning with Noboru Takeshita and ending with Shinzo Abe.

Name

In Japan, during his reign, Akihito was never referred to by his given name, but instead as which may be shortened to . The era of Akihito's reign from 1989 to 2019 bore the era name , and according to custom he will be posthumously renamed as the 125th emperor of Japan by order of the

Cabinet Cabinet or The Cabinet may refer to: Furniture * Cabinetry, a box-shaped piece of furniture with doors and/or drawers * Display cabinet, a piece of furniture with one or more transparent glass sheets or transparent polycarbonate sheets * Filin ...

. Upon Akihito's abdication on 30 April 2019, he received the title . A new era, , was established when his eldest son Naruhito succeeded him as emperor.

Early life and education

was born on 23 December 1933 at 6:39 am in the Tokyo Imperial Palace as the fifth child and eldest son of Emperor Shōwa ( Hirohito) and Empress Kōjun (Nagako). Titled 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. At the request of his father, he did not receive a commission as an army officer, unlike his predecessors. During the American firebombing raids on Tokyo in March 1945 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, Akihito and his younger brother Prince Masahito were evacuated from the city. Akihito was tutored in the

English language English is a West Germanic language of the Indo-European language family, with its earliest forms spoken by the inhabitants of early medieval England. It is named after the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the ...

and Western manners by

Elizabeth Gray Vining Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining (October 6, 1902 – November 27, 1999) was an American professional librarian and author who tutored Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was crown prince. She was also a noted author, whose children's book ...

during the Allied occupation of Japan, and later briefly studied at the department of

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and ...

Gakushuin University is a private university in Mejiro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. It was re-established after World War II as an affiliate of the Gakushūin School Corporation. The privatized successor to the original Gakushūin University (or "Peers School") was est ...

in Tokyo, though he never received a degree. 07-30-1953 11697 Akihito bij Van Gogh (6741938153)

Akihito was the heir apparent to the Chrysanthemum Throne from birth. His formal took place at the Tokyo Imperial Palace on 10 November 1952. In June 1953, Akihito represented Japan at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

in his first journey abroad. He later completed his university education as a special student in 1956.

Marriage and family

In August 1957, Akihito met Michiko Shōda on a tennis court at Karuizawa near Nagano. 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 a Catholic 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 didn't want to create a diplomatic incident. Therefore, he contacted the young King Baudouin of Belgium to send his messages directly to his loved one. Later King Baudouin also negotiated the marriage of the couple with the Emperor directly stating that if the Crown Prince is happy with Michiko, he would be a better emperor later on. The Imperial 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 came from a

family. Although Shōda was never baptized, she had been educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share her parents' faith. Rumors also speculated that Prince Akihito's mother, Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After the death of Empress Kōjun on 16 June 2000,

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency was est ...

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. At that time, the media presented their encounter as a real "fairy tale", or the "romance of the tennis court". It was the first time a commoner had married into the Imperial Family, breaking more than 2,600 years of tradition. The engagement ceremony took place on 14 January 1959, and the marriage on 10 April 1959. Akihito and Michiko had three children: two sons Naruhito (born 23 February 1960 and titled Prince Hiro; later the 126th Emperor of Japan) and Fumihito (born 30 November 1965 and titled Prince Aya; later Prince Akishino and subsequently the Crown Prince of Japan), and a daughter Sayako Kuroda (born 18 April 1969 and titled Princess Nori before marriage). The three children were born at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital at the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Akihito and Michiko at Andrews Air Force Base 1987

Akihito and Michiko at Andrews Air Force Base 1987

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 the Imperial family closer to the people of Japan.

Reign

Upon the death of Emperor Shōwa on 7 January 1989, Akihito acceded to the throne, becoming the 125th

Emperor of Japan The Emperor of Japan is the monarch and the head of the Imperial Family of Japan. Under the Constitution of Japan, he is defined as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, and his position is derived from "the ...

. The enthronement ceremony took place on 12 November 1990. In 1998, during a state visit to the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and ...

, he was invested with the UK Order of the Garter. Under the

Constitution of Japan The Constitution of Japan (Shinjitai: , Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization, Hepburn: ) is the constitution of Japan and the supreme law in the state. Written primarily by American civilian officials working under the Allied occupation of Japa ...

, 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. Despite being strictly constrained by his constitutional position, he also issued several wide-ranging statements of remorse to

Asia Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...

n countries, for their suffering under Japanese occupation, beginning with an expression of remorse to

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, most populous country, with a Population of China, population exceeding 1.4 billion, slig ...

made in April 1989, three months after the death of his father, Emperor Shōwa. On 23 December 2001, during his annual birthday meeting with reporters, the Emperor, in response to a reporter's question about tensions with

South Korea South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea (ROK), is a country in East Asia, constituting the southern part of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and sharing a Korean Demilitarized Zone, land border with North Korea. Its western border is formed ...

, remarked that he felt a kinship with

Koreans Koreans ( South Korean: , , North Korean: , ; see names of Korea) are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. Koreans mainly live in the two Korean nation states: North Korea and South Korea (collectively and simply r ...

and went on to explain that, in the '' Shoku Nihongi'', the mother of Emperor Kammu (736–806) is related to Muryeong of Korea, King of Baekje, a fact that was considered taboo for discussion. In June 2005, the Emperor Akihito and the Empress Michiko visited the island of Saipan (part of the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI; ch, Sankattan Siha Na Islas Mariånas; cal, Commonwealth Téél Falúw kka Efáng llól Marianas), is an unincorporated territory and commonw ...

, a U.S. territory), the site of a battle in the

from 15 June to 9 July 1944 (known as the Battle of Saipan). Accompanied by Empress Michiko, he offered prayers and flowers at several memorials, honoring not only the Japanese who died, but also American servicemen, Korean laborers, 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 in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.46 ...

, Hiroshima Prefecture, Nagasaki Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture in 1995. Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko 20090715 1

Japan Emperor Akihito 20th anniversary 1

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-seven

Prefectures of Japan Japan is divided into 47 prefectures (, ''todōfuken'', ), which rank immediately below the national government and form the country's first level of jurisdiction and administrative division. They include 43 prefectures proper (, '' ken''), tw ...

. Akihito has never visited

Yasukuni Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Chiyoda, Tokyo. It was founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 and commemorates those who died in service of Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, 1894–1895 and 1937–1945 resp ...

, continuing his predecessor's boycott from 1978, due to its enshrinement of war criminals. 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 father Prince Akishino) and could avert the Japanese imperial succession crisis, as the only child of the Emperor's elder son, the then Crown Prince Naruhito, is his daughter, Princess Aiko, who is not eligible for the throne under Japan's male-only succession law. The birth of Prince Hisahito meant that proposed changes to the law to allow Aiko to ascend the Chrysanthemum Throne were dropped. Recently, in response to the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami The occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peni ...

and the Fukushima I nuclear crisis, the Emperor made urging his people not to give up hope and to help each other. The Emperor and Empress also made a visit on Wednesday, 30 March 2011 to a temporary shelter housing refugees of the disaster, in order to inspire hope in the people. This kind of event is also extremely rare, though in line with the Emperor's attempts to bring the Imperial family closer to the people. On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster NHK reported that the then 82-year-old Emperor intended to abdicate in favor of his eldest son Crown Prince Naruhito within a few years, citing his age. An abdication within the Imperial Family had not occurred since Emperor Kōkaku in 1817. However, senior officials within the Imperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. Abdication by the Emperor required an amendment to the Imperial Household Law, which had no provisions for such a move. On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health; this address was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate. On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by the Cabinet of Japan. On 8 June 2017, the National Diet passed it, whereupon it became known as the Emperor Abdication Law. This commenced government preparations to hand the position over to Naruhito. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced in December 2017 that the 125th Emperor Akihito would abdicate at the end of 30 April 2019, and that the 126th Emperor Naruhito's reign would begin as of 1 May 2019.

Post-abdication and later years

On 19 March 2020, Emperor emeritus Akihito and his wife Empress emerita Michiko moved out of the Imperial Palace, marking their first public appearance since the abdication. On 31 March, they moved in to the Takanawa Residence. In December 2021, Akihito celebrated his 88th birthday (''beiju''), making him the longest-living verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history.

Health

Emperor Akihito underwent surgery for prostate cancer on 14 January 2003. Later in 2011 he was admitted to hospital suffering from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of productive or dry cough, chest pain, fever, and difficulty breathing. The severit ...

. In February 2012, it was announced that the Emperor would be having a coronary examination; he underwent successful heart bypass surgery on 18 February 2012. 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. He was diagnosed with heart failure in July 2022.

Issue

Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko have three children, two sons and a daughter.

Ichthyological research

In extension of his father's interest in marine biology, who published taxonomic works on the Hydrozoa, the Emperor emeritus is a published ichthyological researcher, and has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of the family Gobiidae. He has written papers for scholarly journals such as ''

Gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "...Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

Ichthyological Research
'' and the

'. He has also written papers about the history of science during the

Edo Edo ( ja, , , "bay-entrance" or "estuary"), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a ''jōkamachi'' (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the ''de facto'' capital of ...

and Meiji eras, which were published in ''

Science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence ...

'' and ''

Nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

''. In 2005, a newly described goby was named '' Exyrias akihito'' in his honour, and in 2007 a genus '' Akihito'' 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 cataloged in an English-language journal published by the Ichthyological Society of Japan. * Member of the Ichthyological Society of Japan * Foreign member of the

Linnean Society of London The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature coll ...

(1980) * Honorary member of the Linnean Society of London (1986) * Research associate of the Australian Museum * Honorary member of the

Zoological Society of London The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained the London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Park. History On 29 ...

(1992) * Honorary member of the Research Institute for Natural Science of Argentina (1997) * Honorary degree of the Uppsala University (2007)

Honours

* FR Yugoslavia split into Serbia and Montenegro. As of 2006 this order is аbolished. * Zaire is now the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

. Other awards * The Royal Society King Charles II Medal * Golden Pheasant Award of the

Scout Association of Japan The is the major Scouting organization of Japan. Starting with boys only, the organization was known as Boy Scouts of Japan from 1922 to 1971, and as Boy Scouts of Nippon from 1971 to 1995, when it became coeducational in all sections, leading to ...

(1971)

Overseas visits

The following table includes the official visits made by Emperor Akihito, along with Empress Michiko, following succession to the throne on 7 January 1989. The list includes all the visits made up to 31 December 2017. 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 table.

Ancestry

Patrilineal descent

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 the Imperial House of Japan. ;Imperial House of Japan # Descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but traditionally traced back patrilineally to Emperor Jimmu # Emperor Keitai, ca. 450–534 # Emperor Kinmei, 509–571 # Emperor Bidatsu, 538–585 # Prince Oshisaka, ca. 556–??? # Emperor Jomei, 593–641 # Emperor Tenji, 626–671 # Prince Shiki, ???–716 #

Emperor Kōnin was the 49th emperor of Japan, Emperor Kōnin, Tahara no Higashi Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Kōnin's reign lasted from 770 to 781. Traditional narrative The personal name ...

, 709–786 #

Emperor Kanmu , or Kammu, was the 50th emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 桓武天皇 (50) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Kanmu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the s ...

, 737–806 # Emperor Saga, 786–842 # Emperor Ninmyō, 810–850 # Emperor Kōkō, 830–867 # Emperor Uda, 867–931 # Emperor Daigo, 885–930 #

Emperor Murakami was the 62nd emperor of Japan, Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 村上天皇 (62)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Murakami's reign spanned the years from 946 to his death in 967. Biography Before he ascended to ...

, 926–967 #

Emperor En'yū was the 64th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 円融天皇 (64)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. En'yū's reign spanned the years from 969 through 984. Biography Before his ascension to the Chry ...

, 959–991 # Emperor Ichijō, 980–1011 # Emperor Go-Suzaku, 1009–1045 #

Emperor Go-Sanjō was the 71st emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 陽成天皇 (71)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Sanjō's reign spanned the years from 1068 through 1073. This 11th century sovereign was named a ...

, 1034–1073 # Emperor Shirakawa, 1053–1129 #

Emperor Horikawa was the 73rd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 堀河天皇 (73)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Horikawa's reign spanned the years from 1087 through 1107. Biography Before his ascension to the C ...

, 1079–1107 # Emperor Toba, 1103–1156 # Emperor Go-Shirakawa, 1127–1192 # Emperor Takakura, 1161–1181 # Emperor Go-Toba, 1180–1239 # Emperor Tsuchimikado, 1196–1231 #

Emperor Go-Saga was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1242 through 1246. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 8th-century Emperor Saga and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as ...

, 1220–1272 # Emperor Go-Fukakusa, 1243–1304 # Emperor Fushimi, 1265–1317 # Emperor Go-Fushimi, 1288–1336 # Emperor Kōgon, 1313–1364 #

Emperor Sukō (May 25, 1334 – January 31, 1398) was the third of Emperors of Northern Court during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan. According to pre- Meiji scholars, his reign spanned the years from 1348 through 1351.Titsingh, Isaa ...

, 1334–1398 # Prince Yoshihito Fushimi, 1351–1416 # Prince Sadafusa Fushimi, 1372–1456 #

Emperor Go-Hanazono (July 10, 1418 – January 18, 1471) was the 102nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後花園天皇 (102) retrieved 2013-8-28. His reign spanned the years from 1428 throug ...

, 1419–1471 # Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado, 1442–1500 # Emperor Go-Kashiwabara, 1464–1526 # Emperor Go-Nara, 1495–1557 # Emperor Ōgimachi, 1517–1593 # Prince Masahito, 1552–1586 # Emperor Go-Yōzei, 1572–1617 # Emperor Go-Mizunoo, 1596–1680 #

Emperor Reigen was the 112th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 霊元天皇 (112)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan'', pp. 117. Reigen's reign spanned t ...

, 1654–1732 # Emperor Higashiyama, 1675–1710 # Prince Naohito Kanin, 1704–1753 # Prince Sukehito Kanin, 1733–1794 # Emperor Kōkaku, 1771–1840 # Emperor Ninkō, 1800–1846 # Emperor Kōmei, 1831–1867 # Emperor Meiji, 1852–1912 # Emperor Taishō, 1879–1926 # Emperor Shōwa, 1901–1989 # Emperor Akihito, b. 1933

References

External links

Their Majesties the Emperor emeritus and Empress emerita
at the Imperial Household Agency website

at AmericanRhetoric.com {{Authority control 1933 births 20th-century Japanese monarchs 21st-century Japanese monarchs Articles containing video clips * Japanese emperors Japanese environmentalists Japanese ichthyologists Japanese philanthropists Japanese Shintoists Gakushuin University alumni Living people Japanese retired emperors People from Tokyo Collars of the Order of the White Lion Grand Collars of the Order of Lakandula Grand Collars of the Order of Prince Henry Grand Collars of the Order of Saint James of the Sword Recipients of the Collar of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana Grand Cordons of the Order of Valour Grand Croix of the Légion d'honneur Grand Crosses of the National Order of Mali Grand Crosses of the Order of the Sun of Peru Grand Crosses Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Grand Crosses with Chain of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (civil) Grand Crosses with Golden Chain of the Order of Vytautas the Great Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knights Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic Chief Commanders of the Philippine Legion of Honor Grand Commanders of the Order of the Federal Republic Chiefs of the Order of the Golden Heart of Kenya Extra Knights Companion of the Garter Knights of the Golden Fleece of Spain Opposition to World War II Recipients of the Grand Star of the Decoration for Services to the Republic of Austria Recipients of the Order of Culture Recipients of the Order of Prince Yaroslav the Wise, 1st class Recipients of the Order of the Falcon Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun with Paulownia Flowers Recipients of the Order of the Sacred Treasure, 1st class Recipients of the Order of the White Eagle (Poland)