China repeatedly requested that Emperor Akihito visit after he ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989. Diplomatic documents released by the Foreign Ministry on Dec. 20 stated that on Dec. 17 ...

Emperor Emeritus Akihito, marking his 90th birthday on Dec. 23, spends his days like retirees the world over reflecting on the past and trying to lead as normal a daily life as possible.

Prior to Akihito, the last emperor to abdicate was Emperor Kokaku in 1817 in the later part of the Edo Period, and the royal male line is unbroken, records show, for at least 14 centuries.

The prince is the youngest of the 16-member all-adult imperial family and one of only five men, including former Emperor Akihito. He said he barely had time to celebrate his adulthood on September ...

The prince is the youngest of the 16-member all-adult imperial family and one of only five men, including former Emperor Akihito. He said he barely had time to celebrate his adulthood on Sept.

(Imperial Household Agency of Japan/via AP) He said he wants to be the people's emperor, like his grandfather Emperor Emeritus Akihito and uncle Emperor Naruhito. But unlike them, he has not ...

The Foreign Ministry’s China Division in 1991 listed the pros and cons of arranging a visit to China by Emperor Akihito, including the possible impact on diplomatic relations around Asia.

The prince, who turned 18 on Sept. 6, is the youngest of the 16-member imperial family and one of only five men, including former Emperor Akihito. The 1947 Imperial House Law only allows a male to ...