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Graphic toont de stamboom van de Japanse keizerlijke familie.
GN38910NL

AZIË

Eerste troonsafstand van Japanse keizer in 200 jaar

April 30, 2019 - Akihito wordt de eerste keizer in 200 jaar die aftreedt. Hij geeft de Chrysanten Kroon door aan zijn zoon, kroonprins Naruhito

The 83-year-old emperor has been on the throne since the death of his father, Hirohito, in 1989. He has had heart surgery and prostate cancer, and cited age and ill health when he announced his decision to stand down.

Japanese law doesn’t provide for abdication; emperors, considered spiritually immortal, are expected to serve until death. Akihito’s decision required the government to enact a bill that allowed him to step down.

Akihito enjoys a popularity in Japan stemming from his ability to abandon the traditional formality of his Imperial role and demonstrate empathy with the common people. This was particularly evident when Japan was hit by the 2011 tsunami that killed thousands and left tens of thousands homeless.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 13/03/2019; STORY: Graphic News; PICTURES: Associated Press / Getty Images / Newscom / U.S. National Archives
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