Akihito

Akihito (born 23 December 1933) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 7 January 1989 until his abdication on 30 April 2019. The time of his rule was called the Heisei era. During this time, people often called him Emperor Akihito.

Akihito was born as the fifth child and first son of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun. After the Second World War, he moved away from Tokyo and stayed in Nikkō until the surrender of Japan. In 1959, he married Michiko Shōda, a commoner. This was the first imperial wedding shown on television in Japan, and about 15 million people watched it. They had three children: Naruhito, Fumihito, and Sayako.

Akihito became emperor after his father's death in January 1989. He worked hard to bring the Japanese imperial family closer to the people. He visited all forty-seven prefectures of Japan and many of its islands. He also liked studying nature, animals, and history. In 2019, because he was very old and not feeling well, he abdicated in 2019 and took the title Emperor Emeritus. His son Naruhito became the new emperor, and the time became known as the Reiwa era. At age 92, Akihito is the oldest emperor in Japan's recorded history.

Name

During his time as the leader of Japan, Akihito was called "His Majesty the Emperor" instead of by his personal name. His time as leader, from 1989 to 2019, was known by the special name Heisei. After he stepped down, he became known as Jōkō, which means "Emperor Emeritus."

Early life and education

Prince Akihito was born on 23 December 1933 in the Tokyo Imperial Palace. He was the fifth child and first son of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kōjun. As a child, he was known as Prince Tsugu. Akihito was taught by private tutors and later went to Gakushūin school from 1940 to 1952. Because of his father's request, he did not become an army officer like those before him.

During World War II, Akihito and his brother Prince Masahito had to leave Tokyo during heavy bombings. He learned English language and Western customs with a tutor named Elizabeth Gray Vining while Japan was under control by other countries after the war. Akihito studied political science at Gakushuin University but did not finish a full degree.

Akihito was expected to become the next emperor from the time he was born. His official ceremony as the future emperor happened at the Tokyo Imperial Palace in November 1952. In June 1953, he traveled to London to attend the ceremony when Queen Elizabeth II became queen. He finished his studies in 1956.

Marriage and family

Akihito met Michiko Shōda in August 1957 while they were playing tennis in Karuizawa, near Nagano. At first, many people were not excited about their relationship because Michiko was from a different background. She was even sent away to Brussels for a while, but Akihito kept in touch with her with the help of King Baudouin of Belgium.

In November 1958, the Imperial Household Council approved their engagement. This was big news because it was the first time a commoner had married into the Imperial Family, ending a tradition that had lasted over 2,600 years. They got engaged in January 1959 and married in April of that same year.

The couple had three children: Naruhito, Fumihito, and Sayako. After Sayako married an urban designer in 2005, she left the Imperial Family and took her husband’s surname.

Akihito and Michiko visited many countries during their time as Crown Prince and Princess. Akihito once said he wanted to help make the Imperial family feel closer to the people of Japan.

Reign

When Emperor Hirohito passed away on January 7, 1989, Akihito became the 125th Emperor of Japan. He was 55 years old, making him one of the oldest emperors to take the throne. His official ceremony happened on November 12, 1990. During his time as emperor, Akihito worked to make the royal family more friendly to the people of Japan.

Akihito often spoke about healing old hurts from when Japan controlled parts of Asia during wars. He visited many places, including China and the island of Saipan, to show respect for people who suffered. He also traveled to many countries and all parts of Japan to meet people. In 2011, after a big earthquake and tsunami, Akihito spoke on television to encourage everyone to stay strong and support one another.

Constitutional role

According to Japan’s rules, Akihito’s job was mainly symbolic. He could not make political decisions or speak about politics. His actions, like appointing the prime minister, followed strict guidelines set by Japan’s government.

Abdication

Main articles: Japanese imperial succession debate and 2019 Japanese imperial transition

In 2016, Emperor Akihito, who was 82 years old, said he wanted to step down as emperor because of his age. This would have been the first time an emperor stepped down since 1817. Special rules needed to be changed to allow this, and after working with leaders, it was decided that Akihito would step down on April 30, 2019. His son, Crown Prince Naruhito, then became the new emperor the next day.

Post-abdication

On 19 March 2020, Akihito and his wife left the Imperial Palace for the first time since he stopped being emperor. They moved into a new home called the Takanawa Residence on 31 March.

In December 2021, Akihito celebrated his 88th birthday, becoming the longest-living emperor in Japan's history. He enjoys walking with his wife, reading, and visiting a biology institute. In August 2023, he returned to the tennis court where he first met his wife and talked with people who take care of the place. After the passing of Princess Yuriko in November 2024, Akihito became the oldest living member of the Japanese imperial family.

Health

Emperor Akihito had surgery for a health issue in 2003 and was later treated for an infection in his lungs in 2011. He had more surgeries for his heart in 2012 and faced other health concerns in later years, including feeling unwell due to reduced blood flow to his brain in 2018 and a brief loss of consciousness in 2020. He was diagnosed with heart problems in 2022 and had further heart-related health issues in 2025.

Children

Akihito and Michiko have two sons and a daughter.

Ichthyological research

Emperor Akihito had a strong interest in fish and the sea, just like his father. He studied a special group of fish called gobies and wrote important papers about them for science magazines. In 2005, a new kind of goby fish was named after him, and in 2007, a whole group of these fish was also named in his honor. In 2021, it was announced that he had discovered two new types of goby fish.

In 1965, before he became emperor, Akihito sent 50 Nile tilapia fish to the king of Thailand to help with food problems there. These fish have since become very important for food and farming in Thailand.

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Japanese imperial family by country

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^b Zaire is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Other awards

• The Royal Society King Charles II Medal
• Golden Pheasant Award of the Scout Association of Japan (1971)

Overseas visits

The tables below show the official trips made by the Emperor and Empress together from 1991 to 2017. There were also two trips made just by the Empress alone in 2002 to Switzerland and in 2014 to Belgium, but these are not included in the list.

1990s

2000s

2010s

Ancestry

Patrilineal descent