After the Pope, the emperor: Akihito will be "emeritus"

The sovereign will leave office on April 30th, passing the Chrysanthemum's Throne to his son Naruhito. Even the empress will be "emeritus".

Tokyo (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Following the abdication of the Chrysanthemum Throne, the Japanese emperor Akihito will be called "Emperor emeritus" along with his wife, Empress Michiko. The question was posed on the English title - or on the impossibility of translating the Japanese terms already decided in a literal way: the couple will in fact be called "joko" and "jokogo".

The Agency of the Imperial House, the body that deals with all that concerns in practical terms the family of the sovereign, explained that the choice of the term was decided "to express admiration and respect for the experience and results achieved by the couple".

On the throne since 1989, Akihito has expressed his will to abdicate in a video message in August 2016, claiming to be afraid of not being able to carry out his duties. He turned 84 on December 23rd, and underwent a heart operation as well as cures for prostate cancer.

The last emperor to abdicate was Kokaku in 1817. In Japan, this is not an exceptional event, but a return to the past: more than half of the 125 Japanese emperors have renounced the title in life.