Their Majesties the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Emerita

His Majesty the Emperor Emeritus (The 125th Emperor)

  • Name
    • Akihito
  • Born
    • December 23, 1933, as the eldest son of the late Emperor Showa
      Coming of Age Ceremony and Investiture as Crown Prince, at the age of 18, conducted at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo: November 1952
  • The Personal Title for Young Members (Been conferred in accordance with the Imperial Family's tradition of appellation)
    • Prince Tsugu(Tsugu-no-Miya)
  • Accession to the Throne
    • January 7, 1989
  • Enthronement Ceremony
    • November 12, 1990
  • Ceremony of the Abdication of His Majesty the Emperor at the Seiden (State Hall)
    • April 30, 2019
  • Abdication from the Throne
    • April 30, 2019
  • Education
    • Finished education at Gakushuin University, 1956.

    In June 1953, His Majesty the Emperor, the then Crown Prince, representing Japan at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom, made his first overseas trip. On this trip he travelled to 13 other countries in Europe and North America.

    Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress have visited 58 countries in more than fifty years since their marriage in 1959.

    On 12 November, 1990, the Enthronement Ceremony was held at the Imperial Palace, Tokyo, attended, from abroad, by dignitaries from 158 countries, including Monarchs and Heads of State and two international organizations.

    As stated in the Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is “the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people” and derives His position from “the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power.”

Her Majesty the Empress Emerita

  • Name
    • Michiko
  • Born
    • October 20, 1934, as the eldest daughter of Hidesaburo and Fumiko Shoda
  • Education
    • Graduated from the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature in the Faculty of Literature at the University of the Sacred Heart, Tokyo, 1957

Marriage

    April 10, 1959

Children

  1. His Majesty the Emperor Naruhito, born February 23, 1960
  2. His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Akishino, born November 30, 1965
  3. Her Imperial Highness Princess Sayako (now Mrs. Yoshiki Kuroda), born April 18, 1969