Home GRASP GRASP/Japan Diet proposes one-off abdication law for emperor

Diet proposes one-off abdication law for emperor

277
0
SHARE

Japanese ruling and opposition parties on Friday handed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a proposal urging his government to write a…
TOKYO —
Japanese ruling and opposition parties on Friday handed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe a proposal urging his government to write a special one-time law that would allow Emperor Akihito to abdicate.
The proposal now goes to a panel of experts commissioned by Abe that is to compile a final report on the abdication within the next few weeks. The government is then expected to submit legislation to parliament around May so it can be enacted during the current session, which ends in mid-June.
Akihito, 83, expressed last August his apparent wish to abdicate, citing concerns that his age and health may start limiting his ability to fulfil his duties.
He would be the first emperor to abdicate in 200 years. Crown Prince Naruhito, Akihito’s oldest son, is first in line to the Chrysanthemum throne.

Continue reading...