Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the

Imperial House of Japan The is the reigning dynasty of Japan, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present constitution of Japan, the emperor is "the symbol of the State ...

who reigned as the 125th

emperor of Japan The emperor of Japan is the hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

from 1989 until his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the

Heisei era The was the period of Japanese history corresponding to the reign of Emperor Akihito from 8 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The Heisei era started on 8 January 1989, the day after the death of the Emperor Hirohito, when his ...

, Heisei being an expression of achieving peace worldwide. Born in 1933, Akihito is the fifth child and first son of

Emperor Shōwa , posthumously honored as , was the 124th emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, from 25 December 1926 until his death in 1989. He remains Japan's longest-reigning emperor as well as one of the world's longest-rei ...

and

Empress Kōjun Nagako (6 March 190316 June 2000), posthumously honoured as Empress Kōjun, was a member of the Imperial House of Japan, the wife of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) and the mother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito. She was Empress of Japan from 1926 unti ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he moved out of Tokyo with his classmates and remained in

Nikkō is a Cities of Japan, city in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. , the city's population was 80,239, in 36,531 households. The population density was 55 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Nikkō is a popular destination for Japanese and ...

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, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

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 Elizabeth II The Coronation of the British monarch, coronation of Elizabeth II as queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon th ...

in London. He completed his university education in 1956. In April 1959, he married

Michiko Shōda is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. She was Empress of Japan as the wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan reigning from 7 January 1989 to 30 April 2019. Michiko married Crown Prince Akihito and became Crown Princess of Japan i ...

, a commoner; it was the first imperial wedding to be televised in Japan, drawing about 15 million viewers. The couple has three children:

Naruhito Naruhito (born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following 2019 Japanese imperial transition, the abdication of his father, Akihito, on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era. He is the 126th monarch, ...

Fumihito is the heir presumptive to the Japanese throne. He is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, and the younger son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Since his marriage in June 1990, he has had the title and has headed the Akishino br ...

, and Sayako. Akihito succeeded to the

Chrysanthemum Throne The is the throne of the Emperor of Japan. The term also can refer to very specific seating, such as the throne in the Shishin-den at Kyoto Imperial Palace. Various other thrones or seats that are used by the Emperor during official functions ...

and became emperor upon his father's death in 1989, with an enthronement ceremony in 1990. He made efforts to bring the imperial family closer to the Japanese people, and made official visits to all forty-seven

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

and to many of the remote

islands of Japan Japan is an island country of 14,125 islands, of which approximately 260 are inhabited. Japan is the third-largest island country in the world, behind Indonesia and Madagascar. Japan is also the second-most-populous island country in the world, ...

. 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 . He was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito, whose era is named . At age , Akihito is the longest-lived verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history. During his reign, 17 prime ministers served in 25 terms, beginning with

Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1987 to 1989. Born in Shimane Prefecture, Takeshita attended Waseda University and was drafted into the army during the Pacific War. He was first elected to the National Diet ...

and ending with

Shinzo Abe Shinzo Abe (21 September 1954 – 8 July 2022) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (Liberal Democratic Party (Japan), LDP) from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020. ...

. He is the oldest living member of the Imperial House of Japan, following the death of

Yuriko, Princess Mikasa (born , 4 June 1923 – 15 November 2024) was a member of the Imperial House of Japan as the wife of Takahito, Prince Mikasa, the fourth son of Emperor Taishō and Empress Teimei. The Princess was the last surviving paternal great-aunt by marri ...

on 15 November 2024.

Name

During his reign, Akihito was never referred to by his own name, but instead as which may be shortened to . The era of Akihito's reign from 1989 to 2019 bore the

era name A regnal year is a year of the reign of a sovereign, from the Latin meaning kingdom, rule. Regnal years considered the date as an ordinal, not a cardinal number. For example, a monarch could have a first year of rule, a second year of rule, a t ...

, 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 ...

. Following his abdication, he was accorded the title of , officially translated as "Emperor Emeritus".

Early life and education

was born on 23 December 1933 at 6:39 am in the

Tokyo Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda district of the Chiyoda, Tokyo, Chiyoda ward of Tokyo and contains several buildings including the where the Emperor h ...

as the fifth child and eldest son of

and

. Titled as a child, Akihito was educated by private tutors prior to attending the elementary and secondary departments of the Peers' School (''

Gakushūin The , or , historically known as the Peers' School, is a Japanese educational institution in Tokyo, originally established as Gakushūjo to educate the children of Japan's nobility. The original school expanded from its original mandate of educ ...

'') from 1940 to 1952. At the request of his father, he did not receive a commission as an army officer, unlike his predecessors. Investiture of the Crown Prince 1952

During the American firebombing raids on Tokyo in March 1945 during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Akihito and his younger brother

Prince Masahito , also known as Prince Sanehito and posthumously named Yōkōin ''daijō-tennō'', was the eldest son of Emperor Ōgimachi. He predeceased his father. Masahito's eldest son was , who acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on the abdication of E ...

were evacuated from the city. Akihito was tutored in the

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

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 Japan was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the surrender of the Empire of Japan on September 2, 1945, at the war's end until the Treaty of San Francisco took effect on April 28, 1952. The occupation, led by the ...

, 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 (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...

Gakushuin University is a private university in Mejiro, Toshima, Tokyo. The Gakushūin (or "Peers School") was established during the Meiji period to educate the children of the Japanese nobility, but back then the institution had only the primary and secondary ...

in Tokyo, though he never received a degree. Akihito was the

heir apparent An heir apparent is a person who is first in the order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person. A person who is first in the current order of succession but could be displaced by the birth of a more e ...

to the

from birth. His formal took place at the

on 10 November 1952. In June 1953, Akihito represented Japan at the

coronation of Queen Elizabeth II The Coronation of the British monarch, coronation of Elizabeth II as queen of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms took place on 2 June 1953 at Westminster Abbey in London. Elizabeth acceded to the throne at the age of 25 upon th ...

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

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

Marriage and family

Wedding of Crown Prince Akihito stamp of 10Yen

In August 1957, Akihito met

on a

tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...

court at

Karuizawa is a resort town located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 20,323 in 9897 households, and a population density of 130 persons per km2. The total area of the town is . Originally, there was a stage station ( ...

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 The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

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 did not want to create a diplomatic incident. Therefore, he contacted the young King

Baudouin of Belgium Baudouin (; 7 September 1930 – 31 July 1993) was King of the Belgians from 17 July 1951 until his death in 1993. He was the last Belgian king to be sovereign of the Congo, before it became independent in 1960 and became the Democratic Republi ...

to send his messages directly to his loved one. Baudouin later negotiated the marriage of the couple with the Emperor, directly stating that if the Crown Prince was happy with Michiko, he would be a better emperor later on. The

Imperial Household Council The is a ten-member body to approve the statutory matters on the Imperial House of Japan. The Council was established in 1947, when the current Imperial Household Law took effect. Functions The Imperial Household Law provides that the Counc ...

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 was from a Catholic family. Although she was never baptized, she had been educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share her parents' faith. Rumours also speculated that Prince Akihito's mother,

had opposed the engagement. After the death of Empress Kōjun on 16 June 2000,

Reuters Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide writing in 16 languages. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world. The agency ...

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 A commoner, also known as the ''common man'', ''commoners'', the ''common people'' or the ''masses'', was in earlier use an ordinary person in a community or nation who did not have any significant social status, especially a member of neither ...

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. The couple have three children (two sons and a daughter): # # # , following her marriage to

urban designer Urban means "related to a city". In that sense, the term may refer to: * Urban area, geographical area distinct from rural areas * Urban culture, the culture of towns and cities Urban may also refer to: General * Urban (name), a list of people ...

Yoshiki Kuroda on 15 November 2005, Princess Nori gave up her imperial title and left the

Imperial Family A royal family is the immediate family of monarch, monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or emperor, empress, and the term papal family describes the family of ...

as required by 1947 Imperial Household Law, took the surname of her husband and became known as . 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 A royal family is the immediate family of monarch, monarchs and sometimes their extended family. The term imperial family appropriately describes the family of an emperor or emperor, empress, and the term papal family describes the family of ...

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 hereditary monarch and head of state of Japan. The emperor is defined by the Constitution of Japan as the symbol of the Japanese state and the unity of the Japanese people, his position deriving from "the will of ...

at the age of 55 and the third oldest to ascend the

in history. 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 Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

, he was invested with the

Order of the Garter The Most Noble Order of the Garter is an order of chivalry founded by Edward III of England in 1348. The most senior order of knighthood in the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system, it is outranked in ...

. Following his accession, he began issuing several wide-ranging statements of remorse to

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

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. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...

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. It constitutes the southern half of the Korea, Korean Peninsula and borders North Korea along the Korean Demilitarized Zone, with the Yellow Sea to the west and t ...

, remarked that he felt a kinship with

Koreans Koreans are an East Asian ethnic group native to the Korean Peninsula. The majority of Koreans live in the two Korean sovereign states of North and South Korea, which are collectively referred to as Korea. As of 2021, an estimated 7.3 m ...

and went on to explain that, in the ''

Shoku Nihongi The is an imperially-commissioned Japanese history text. Completed in 797, it is the second of the '' Six National Histories'', coming directly after the and followed by ''Nihon Kōki''. Fujiwara no Tsugutada and Sugano no Mamichi served as t ...

'', the mother of

Emperor Kammu , 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. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...

(736–806) is related to Muryeong of Korea, King of Baekje, a fact that was considered taboo for discussion. In June 2005, the Emperor and Empress visited the island of

Saipan Saipan () is the largest island and capital of the Northern Mariana Islands, an unincorporated Territories of the United States, territory of the United States in the western Pacific Ocean. According to 2020 estimates by the United States Cens ...

(part of the

Northern Mariana Islands The Northern Mariana Islands, officially the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), is an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territory and Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States consistin ...

, a

U.S. territory In the United States, a territory is any extent of region under the sovereign jurisdiction of the federal government of the United States, including all waters (around islands or continental tracts). The United States asserts sovereign rights for ...

), the site of a

battle A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force co ...

in 1944 during

. Akihito offered prayers and flowers at several memorials, honouring not only the Japanese who died, but also American servicemen, Korean labourers, 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, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Hiroshima Prefecture,

Nagasaki Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan, mainly located on the island of Kyūshū, although it also includes a number of islands off Kyūshū's northwest coast - including Tsushima and Iki. Nagasaki Prefecture has a population of 1,246,4 ...

and

Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan. It consists of three main island groups—the Okinawa Islands, the Sakishima Islands, and the Daitō Islands—spread across a maritime zone approximately 1,000 kilometers east to west an ...

in 1995. 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 Japanese prefectures. 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 Empire of Japan, Japan, from the Boshin War of 1868–1869, to the two Sino-Japanese Wars, First Sino-Japane ...

, 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 is the youngest child and only son of Crown Prince Fumihito and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan. He is the nephew of Emperor Naruhito and second in line to the throne after his father, Fumihito. Preceding his birth, the paucity of male hei ...

, the third child of the Emperor's younger son.

was the first male heir born to the Japanese imperial family in 41 years (since his father

Prince Akishino is the heir presumptive to the Japanese throne. He is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito, and the younger son of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko. Since his marriage in June 1990, he has had the title and has headed the Akishino bra ...

) and could avert the Japanese imperial succession crisis, as the only child of the Emperor's elder son, the then

Crown Prince Naruhito Naruhito (born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne following the abdication of his father, Akihito, on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era. He is the 126th monarch, according to the traditional orde ...

, is his daughter,

Princess Aiko is a member of the Imperial House of Japan. She is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan. Following her birth, the ongoing Japanese imperial succession debate had resulted in some politicians holding a favorable ...

, 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 throne were dropped. In response to the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami On 11 March 2011, at 14:46:24 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46:24 UTC), a 9.0–9.1 Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region. It lasted approx ...

which also triggered the

Fukushima nuclear accident The Fukushima nuclear accident was a major nuclear accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma, Fukushima, Japan, which began on 11 March 2011. The cause of the accident was the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, whic ...

, the Emperor made urging his people not to give up hope and to help each other.

Constitutional role

Under the

Constitution of Japan The Constitution of Japan is the supreme law of Japan. Written primarily by American civilian officials during the occupation of Japan after World War II, it was adopted on 3 November 1946 and came into effect on 3 May 1947, succeeding the Meij ...

, 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.

Abdication

On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster

NHK , also known by its Romanization of Japanese, romanized initialism NHK, is a Japanese public broadcasting, public broadcaster. It is a statutory corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television licence, television license fee. NHK ope ...

reported that the then 82-year-old Emperor intended to

abdicate 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 soci ...

in favour of his eldest son

within a few years, citing his age. An abdication within the

had not occurred since

Emperor Kōkaku , posthumously honored as , was the 119th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')光格天皇 (119)/ref> Kōkaku reigned from 1779 until his abdication in 1817 in favor of his s ...

in 1817. However, senior officials within the

Imperial Household Agency The (IHA) is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial House of Japan, Imperial Family, and the keeping of the Privy Seal of Japan, Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century ...

denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. Abdication by the Emperor required an amendment to the

Imperial Household Law is a 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. In 2017, the National Diet changed the law to enable ...

, 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 The is the chief executive body of the government of Japan. It consists of the prime minister, who is appointed by the Emperor after being nominated by the National Diet, in addition to up to nineteen other members, called ministers of stat ...

. On 8 June 2017, the

National Diet , transcription_name = ''Kokkai'' , legislature = 215th Session of the National Diet , coa_pic = Flag of Japan.svg , house_type = Bicameral , houses = , foundation=29 November 1890(), leader1_type ...

passed it, whereupon it became known as the

Emperor Abdication Law The Law for Special Exception of the Imperial House Law concerning Abdication, etc. of Emperor , or in short Emperor Abdication Law , is a Japanese law enacted for the abdication of Akihito, the 125th emperor of Japan. The special law was enacte ...

. This commenced government preparations to hand the position over to Naruhito. Prime Minister

announced in December 2017 that Akihito's abdication would take place at the end of 30 April 2019, and that Naruhito would become the 126th Emperor as of 1 May 2019.

Post-abdication

On 19 March 2020, Akihito and his wife moved out of the Imperial Palace, marking their first public appearance since his abdication. On 31 March, they moved in to the

Takanawa Residence The is an Imperial residence in Tokyo. From 1931 to 2004, it was the residence of Nobuhito, Prince Takamatsu, and his spouse, Kikuko, Princess Takamatsu. On 31 March 2020, the Emperor Emeritus Akihito and the Empress Emerita Michiko moved in ...

. In December 2021, Akihito celebrated , making him the longest-living verifiable Japanese emperor in recorded history, ahead of his father. His daily routine is said to include morning and evening walks with his wife, reading and visits to an imperial biology institute. In August 2023, Akihito and Michiko visited the tennis court where they first met and interacted with members of the organization responsible for its upkeep. With the death of Princess Yuriko in November 2024, Akihito became the oldest living member of the

Japanese imperial family The is the reigning dynasty of Japan, consisting of those members of the extended family of the reigning emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present constitution of Japan, the emperor is "the symbol of the State ...

Health

Emperor Akihito underwent surgery for

prostate cancer Prostate cancer is the neoplasm, uncontrolled growth of cells in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system below the bladder. Abnormal growth of the prostate tissue is usually detected through Screening (medicine), screening tests, ...

on 14 January 2003. Later in 2011 he was admitted to hospital suffering from

pneumonia Pneumonia is an Inflammation, inflammatory condition of the lung primarily affecting the small air sacs known as Pulmonary alveolus, alveoli. Symptoms typically include some combination of Cough#Classification, productive or dry cough, ches ...

. 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. In 2025, Akihito was diagnosed with

myocardial ischemia Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease (CHD), or ischemic heart disease (IHD), is a type of heart disease involving the reduction of blood flow to the cardiac muscle due to a build-up of atheromatous plaque in the a ...

Issue

Akihito and Michiko have two sons and a daughter.

Ichthyological research

In extension of his father's interest in

marine biology Marine biology is the scientific study of the biology of marine life, organisms that inhabit the sea. Given that in biology many scientific classification, phyla, family (biology), families and genera have some species that live in the sea and ...

, who published

taxonomic 280px, Generalized scheme of taxonomy Taxonomy is a practice and science concerned with classification or categorization. Typically, there are two parts to it: the development of an underlying scheme of classes (a taxonomy) and the allocation ...

works on the

Hydrozoa Hydrozoa (hydrozoans; from Ancient Greek ('; "water") and ('; "animals")) is a taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class (biology), class of individually very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most of which inhabit saline wat ...

, the Emperor Emeritus is a published

ichthyological Ichthyology is the branch of zoology devoted to the study of fish, including bony fish (Osteichthyes), cartilaginous fish (Chondrichthyes), and jawless fish (Agnatha). According to FishBase, 35,800 species of fish had been described as of March 2 ...

researcher, and has specialized in studies within the taxonomy of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Gobiidae Gobiidae or gobies is a family (biology), family of bony fish in the order (biology), order Gobiiformes, one of the largest fish families comprising over 2,000 species in more than 200 genus, genera. Most of gobiid fish are relatively small, typ ...

. He has written papers for scholarly journals such as ''

Gene In biology, the word gene has two meanings. The Mendelian gene is a basic unit of heredity. The molecular gene is a sequence of nucleotides in DNA that is transcribed to produce a functional RNA. There are two types of molecular genes: protei ...

, Ichthyological Research,'' and the ''Japanese Journal of Ichthyology''. He has also written papers about the

history of science The history of science covers the development of science from ancient history, ancient times to the present. It encompasses all three major branches of science: natural science, natural, social science, social, and formal science, formal. Pr ...

during the

Edo Edo (), also romanized as Jedo, Yedo or Yeddo, is the former name of Tokyo. Edo, formerly a (castle town) centered on Edo Castle located in Musashi Province, became the '' de facto'' capital of Japan from 1603 as the seat of the Tokugawa shogu ...

and

Meiji era The was an Japanese era name, era of History of Japan, Japanese history that extended from October 23, 1868, to July 30, 1912. The Meiji era was the first half of the Empire of Japan, when the Japanese people moved from being an isolated feu ...

s, which were published in ''

Science Science is a systematic discipline that builds and organises knowledge in the form of testable hypotheses and predictions about the universe. Modern science is typically divided into twoor threemajor branches: the natural sciences, which stu ...

'' and ''

Nature Nature is an inherent character or constitution, particularly of the Ecosphere (planetary), ecosphere or the universe as a whole. In this general sense nature refers to the Scientific law, laws, elements and phenomenon, phenomena of the physic ...

''. In 2005, a newly described goby was named '' Exyrias akihito'' in his honour, and in 2007 a genus ''

Akihito Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until 2019 Japanese imperial transition, his abdication in 2019. The era of his rule was named the Heisei era, Hei ...

'' 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 catalogued in an English-language journal published by the Ichthyological Society of Japan. In 1965, then-Crown Prince Akihito sent 50

Nile tilapia The Nile tilapia (''Oreochromis niloticus'') is a species of tilapia, a cichlid occurring naturally in parts of Africa (such as its namesake Nile River) and the Levant, though numerous introduced populations exist outside its natural range. T ...

to Thai King

Bhumibol Adulyadej Bhumibol Adulyadej (5 December 192713 October 2016), titled Rama IX, was King of Thailand from 1946 until Death and funeral of Bhumibol Adulyadej, his death in 2016. His reign of 70 years and 126 days is the longest of any List of Thai mo ...

in response to a request for fish that could solve malnutrition issues in the country. The species has since become a major food source in Thailand and a major export. * 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 (biology), taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript a ...

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

Australian Museum The Australian Museum, originally known as the Colonial Museum or Sydney Museum. is a heritage-listed museum at 1 William Street, Sydney, William Street, Sydney central business district, Sydney CBD, New South Wales. It is the oldest natural ...

* Honorary member of the

Zoological Society of London The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity and organization devoted to the worldwide animal conservation, conservation of animals and their habitat conservation, habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained London Zo ...

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

Uppsala University Uppsala University (UU) () is a public university, public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the List of universities in Sweden, oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation. Initially fou ...

(2007)

Honours

:^a FR Yugoslavia split into Serbia and Montenegro. As of 2006 this order is аbolished. :^b Zaire is now the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

. Other awards * The Royal Society King Charles II Medal *

Golden Pheasant Award The is the highest award for adult leaders in the Scout Association of Japan. It is awarded by the Chief Scout of Japan, awarded for eminent achievement and meritorious service to the Association for a period of at least twenty years. It may be ...

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 ...

(1971)

Overseas visits

The following tables include official visits jointly made by the Emperor and Empress from 1991 to 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 list.

1990s

2000s

Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko 20090715 1

2010s

Ancestry

Patrilineal descent

Akihito's patriline is the line from which he is descended father to son.

Patrilineal descent Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritanc ...

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 # Descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but traditionally traced back patrilineally to

Emperor Jimmu was the legendary first emperor of Japan according to the and . His ascension is traditionally dated as 660 BC.Kelly, Charles F"Kofun Culture"Emperor Keitai (died 10 March 531) was the 26th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 継体天皇 (26)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. No firm dates can be assigned to this emperor's life or reign, but he is conve ...

, ca. 450–534 #

Emperor Kinmei was the 29th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 欽明天皇 (29) retrieved 2013-8-22. according to the traditional order of succession. Titsingh, Isaac. (1834)pp. 34–36 Brown, Delmer. (1979) ''Gukanshō,'' pp. 261–2 ...

, 509–571 #

Emperor Bidatsu was the 30th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')敏達天皇 (30) retrieved 2013-1-31. according to the traditional order of succession. The years of reign of Bidatsu start in 572 and end in 585; however, there are no ...

, 538–585 # Prince Oshisaka, ca. 556–??? #

Emperor Jomei was the 34th emperor of Japan,Kunaichō 斉明天皇 (34)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Jomei's reign spanned the years from 629 through 641. Traditional narrative Before Jomei's ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, ...

, 593–641 #

Emperor Tenji , known first as and later as until his accession, was the 38th emperor of Japan who reigned from 668 to 671. He was the son of Emperor Jomei and Empress Kōgyoku (Empress Saimei), and his children included Empress Jitō, Empress Genmei, an ...

, 626–671 #

Prince Shiki Prince Shiki (志貴皇子, ''Shiki-no-miko'', died 1 September 716), posthumously known as Emperor Kasuga (春日宮天皇), was a member of the royal family in Japan during the Asuka period. He was the seventh son of Emperor Tenji. ...

, ???–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 of ...

, 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. Kammu reigned from 781 to 806, and it was during his reign that the scop ...

, 737–806 #

Emperor Saga was the 52nd emperor of Japan, Emperor Saga, Saganoyamanoe Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Saga's reign lasted from 809 to 823. Traditional narrative Saga was the second son of ...

, 786–842 #

Emperor Ninmyō was the 54th emperor of Japan, Emperor Ninmyō, Fukakusa Imperial Mausoleum, Imperial Household Agency according to the traditional order of succession. Ninmyō's reign lasted from 833 to 850, during the Heian period. Traditional narrative Nin ...

, 810–850 #

Emperor Kōkō was the 58th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 光孝天皇 (58)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Kōkō reigned from 884 to 887. Traditional narrative Before the emperor's ascension to the Chr ...

, 830–867 #

Emperor Uda was the 59th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 宇多天皇 (59)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Uda's reign spanned the years from 887 through 897. Traditional narrative Name and legacy Befor ...

, 867–931 #

Emperor Daigo was the 60th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 醍醐天皇 (60)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Daigo's reign spanned the years from 897 through 930. He is named after his place of burial. Gen ...

, 885–930 #

Emperor Murakami The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother ( empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rul ...

, 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 was the 66th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 一条天皇 (66)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Ichijō's reign spanned the years from 986 to 1011. Biography Before he ascended to the Chrysanthe ...

, 980–1011 #

Emperor Go-Suzaku was the 69th emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 後朱雀天皇 (69)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Suzaku's reign spanned the years from 1036 through 1045. This 11th-century sovereign was nam ...

, 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. His given name was . Go-Sanjō's reign spanned the years from 1068 through 1073. This 11th centur ...

, 1034–1073 #

Emperor Shirakawa was the 72nd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 白河天皇 (72)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Shirakawa's reign lasted from 1073 to 1087. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum T ...

, 1053–1129 #

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

, 1079–1107 #

Emperor Toba was the 74th Emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 鳥羽天皇 (74)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession. Toba's reign spanned the years from 1107 through 1123. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Ch ...

, 1103–1156 #

Emperor Go-Shirakawa was the 77th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His de jure reign spanned the years from 1155 through 1158, though arguably he effectively maintained imperial power for almost thirty-seven years through the ''in ...

, 1127–1192 #

Emperor Takakura was the 80th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1168 through 1180. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was Norihito''-s ...

, 1161–1181 #

Emperor Go-Toba was the 82nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1183 through 1198. This 12th-century sovereign was named after Emperor Toba, and ''go-'' (後), translates literally as "later"; ...

, 1180–1239 #

Emperor Tsuchimikado was the 83rd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 土御門天皇 (83)/ref> according to the traditional order of succession.Ponsonby-Fane, Richard. (1959). ''The Imperial House of Japan,'' pp. 86–87. Tsuchimikado's reig ...

, 1196–1231 #

Emperor Go-Saga was the 88th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years Kamakura period, 1242 through 1246. This 13th-century monarch, sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Saga and ''go-'' (後 ...

, 1220–1272 #

Emperor Go-Fukakusa was the 89th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. This reign spanned the years 1246 through 1260. This 13th-century sovereign was named after the 9th-century Emperor Ninmyō and ''go-'' (後), translates literal ...

, 1243–1304 #

Emperor Fushimi was the 92nd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1287 through 1298. Name Before his ascension to the Chrysanthemum Throne, his personal name (his ''imina'') was . Although the ...

, 1265–1317 #

Emperor Go-Fushimi was the 93rd emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1298 to 1301. This 13th-century sovereign was named after his father, Emperor Fushimi and ''go-'' (後), translates literally a ...

, 1288–1336 #

Emperor Kōgon was the first of the Emperors of Northern Court during the Period of the Northern and Southern Courts in Japan. His reign spanned the years from 1331 through 1333. Genealogy Before his ascension to the Nanboku-chō throne, his personal name ...

, 1313–1364 #

Emperor Sukō (25 May 1334 – 31 January 1398) was the third of the 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, ...

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

Emperor Go-Hanazono (July 10, 1419 – 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 thro ...

, 1419–1471 #

Emperor Go-Tsuchimikado was the 103rd emperor of Japan,Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')後土御門天皇 (103) retrieved 2013-8-28. according to the traditional order of succession. His reign spanned the years from 1464 through 1500. This 15th-century sover ...

, 1442–1500 #

Emperor Go-Kashiwabara was the 104th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from November 16, 1500, to May 19, 1526. His personal name was Katsuhito (勝仁). His reign marked the nadir of Imperial authority during the Ashik ...

, 1464–1526 #

Emperor Go-Nara was the 105th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from June 9, 1526, until his death in 1557, during the Sengoku period of the Muromachi period, Muromachi Bakufu. His personal name was Tomohito (知仁) ...

, 1495–1557 #

Emperor Ōgimachi was the 106th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. He reigned from November 17, 1557, to his abdication on December 17, 1586, corresponding to the transition between the Sengoku period of the Muromachi bakufu and ...

, 1517–1593 #

, 1552–1586 #

Emperor Go-Yōzei was the 107th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession. Go-Yōzei's reign spanned the years 1586 through to his abdication in 1611, corresponding to the transition between the Azuchi–Momoyama period and the Edo period ...

, 1572–1617 #

Emperor Go-Mizunoo , posthumously honored as , was the 108th Emperor of Japan, according to the traditional List of Emperors of Japan, order of succession. Go-Mizunoo's reign spanned the years from 1611 through 1629, and he was the first emperor to reign entirely d ...

, 1596–1680 #

Emperor Reigen , posthumously honored as 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 ...

, 1654–1732 #

Emperor Higashiyama , posthumously honored as , was the 113th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 東山天皇 (113)/ref> Higashiyama's reign spanned the years from 1687 through to his abdicati ...

, 1675–1710 # Prince Naohito Kanin, 1704–1753 # Prince Sukehito Kanin, 1733–1794 #

, 1771–1840 #

Emperor Ninkō Ayahito (16 March 1800 – 21 February 1846), posthumously honored as Emperor Ninkō, was the 120th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'') 仁孝天皇 (120)/ref> Ninkō's rei ...

, 1800–1846 #

Emperor Kōmei Osahito (22 July 1831 – 30 January 1867), posthumously honored as Emperor Kōmei, was the 121st emperor of Japan, according to the List of Emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession.Imperial Household Agency (''Kunaichō'')孝明天皇 ...

, 1831–1867 #

Emperor Meiji , posthumously honored as , was the 122nd emperor of Japan according to the List of emperors of Japan, traditional order of succession, reigning from 1867 until his death in 1912. His reign is associated with the Meiji Restoration of 1868, which ...

, 1852–1912 #

Emperor Taishō , posthumously honored as , was the 123rd emperor of Japan according to the traditional order of succession, reigning from 1912 until his death in 1926. His reign, known as the Taishō era, was characterized by a liberal and democratic shift in ...

, 1879–1926 #

, 1901–1989 # Emperor Akihito, b. 1933

Notes

References

External links

Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita
at the Imperial Household Agency website

at AmericanRhetoric.com {{Authority control 1933 births Living people 20th-century Japanese monarchs 21st-century Japanese monarchs Articles containing video clips * Emperors of Japan Japanese environmentalists Japanese ichthyologists Japanese philanthropists Japanese Shintoists 21st-century Shintoists 20th-century Shintoists Children of Hirohito Sons of Japanese emperors Gakushuin University alumni Japanese emperors who abdicated People from Chiyoda, 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 Cross of the Legion of Honour 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 Recipients of the Order of Al-Hussein bin Ali 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 National Order of the Lion (Senegal) 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) Recipients of orders, decorations, and medals of Ethiopia