Emperor Akihito, who on April 30 will become Japan's first emperor to abdic...
TOKYO - Emperor Akihito, who on April 30 will become Japan’s first emperor to abdicate in nearly two centuries, devoted his life to nations affected by his country during World War Two and to Japanese struggling after disasters.
Some highlights from his time as the first emperor not to be considered divine when he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989:Akihito’s 1959 marriage to Michiko Shoda, the daughter of an industrialist, was the first by an imperial heir to a commoner and was hailed as a symbol of a new Japan. The two met at a tennis club and he proposed marriage over the phone.
All three of their children went to university and married commoners, and the public was informed when prostate cancer was diagnosed in Akihito in 2002 - in contrast to the secrecy around the illness of his father, Emperor Hirohito.Akihito and Michiko have worked to smooth relations across Asia, which suffered under Japan before and during World War Two, with numerous visits abroad.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
President Trump to visit Japan in late May, meet new emperorTOKYO (AP) — President Donald Trump and his wife Melania will make a state visit to Japan at the end of May to meet the newly enthroned emperor. Crown Prince Naruhito will succeed his...
Read more »
Japan courts Trump using emperor, first lady's birthdayWithout close friends in Asia, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is seen as using every opportunity, even the emperors accession, to court Pres. Trump.
Read more »
Japan inflation edges higher but Bank of Japan still in a bindJapan's core inflation picked up slightly in March from a year earlier, but...
Read more »
Japan set to trade higher while other Asian markets remain closed for Good FridayMarkets in Japan, South Korea and China will trade on Friday, while others, including Australia and Hong Kong, will remain closed for Good Friday public holiday.
Read more »
Japan's inflation edges higher but its central bank is still in a bindJapan's core inflation picked up slightly in March from a year earlier, but remained distant from the Bank of Japan's ambitious 2% target in a sign of rising pressure on the central bank.
Read more »
Japan Aims to Hire Foreigners for Nuclear CleanupTokyo Electric Power is looking to foreign workers to help decommission its Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant amid a labor shortage exacerbated by radiation risks at the site of the 2011 nuclear disaster.
Read more »
Asian shares edge up to nine-month high, European, Japan PMIs awaitedAsian shares were subdued on Thursday after a negative performance on Wall Stree...
Read more »
China eyeing Trump's late May Japan trip for potential Xi summitChinese officials are identifying international travel dates on President Donald Trump's calendar that might offer potential for a Trump Xi trade summit, and Japan has risen to the top of the list, according to three sources.
Read more »
Japan manufacturers' mood slumps to 2-1/2-year low - Reuters TankanJapanese manufacturers' business confidence slipped to a 2-1/2-year low in ...
Read more »
U.S. raises trade deficit concerns with Japan, no deal on individual issuesThe United States has raised concerns over its 'very large' trade defi...
Read more »