Months after Japan’s Emperor Akihito hinted that he would like to step down from the throne, a government panel has come up with ways for the monarch to abdicate his powers — something that’s not provided for in Japanese law.
Drawing on research and interviews about Japan’s constitution and monarchy, the panel said in its interim report that it has identified several ways Japan’s legislature could change the law to allow Akihito, 83, to step down.
A central question in the report, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK , is whether abdication provisions should apply to all future emperors. The panel reportedly found that a temporary solution, pertaining only to Akihito, would likely be the easiest to implement.
