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1 1 (April 29, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govzmy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional *.Research Service Japan's New Emperor and Era April 29, 2019 Introduction On April 30th, the 85-year-old Japanese Emperor, Akihito, is to abdicate after 30 years on the Chrysanthemum throne, becoming the first to do so in over 200 years. The following day his eldest son, Naruhito, is to become the 126th Emperor of Japan. Japanese imperial successions are regarded as times of societal transition and therefore an important political moment. Japan will look to mark the occasion with friends and allies, including at an enthronement ceremony in October to which foreign delegations may be invited. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited President Donald Trump to be the first State Guest after Naruhito's accession in May. Furthermore, Abe, who has promoted a vision of a more assertive and independent Japan, may seek to use the transition to prompt greater national pride among Japanese citizens. What Is the Significance of Japan's Imperial Throne? Japan's imperial system is based upon a continuous linage claimed to date back to 660 B.C.E. Imperial power has historically fluctuated, but notably strengthened under the Meiji Emperor (reign: 1867-1912) when Japan modernized in an attempt to compete with the West. Akihito's father, Hirohito, the Showa Emperor, reigned 1926-1989-an era marked early by Japanese militarism, the Sino-Japanese War, and World War II. After defeating Japan in 1945, the United States chose not to prosecute Hirohito as a war criminal alongside other Japanese leaders, but rather strip his legal authority and have him renounce his supposed divinity. Chapter 1, Article 1 of the contemporary Japanese Constitution, drafted by the United States, reads, The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and of the unity of the People, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power. Officially, the Emperor's position is now largely symbolic. Since becoming Emperor in 1989, Akihito has tried to redefine the role. According to observers, he has provided a source of unity by being present with ordinary Japanese at difficult times, including after the 2011 triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear meltdown) in and around Fukushima. Internationally, he has made goodwill visits (including to the United States and its territories in 1994, 2005, and 2009) and worked to improve relations with neighboring countries. During his historic trip to Beijing in 1992, Akihito acknowledged and expressed sadness that Japan's war occupation during the Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11109 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress

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