The 2019 Japanese imperial transition occurred on 30 April 2019 when the then 85-year-old Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated from the Chrysanthemum Throne after reigning for 30 years,[1] becoming the first Emperor of Japan to do so since Emperor Kōkaku in 1817. This marked the end of the Heisei era and the inception of the Reiwa era, and saw numerous festivities leading up to the accession of his eldest son and successor, Emperor Naruhito.[2] The Enthronement Ceremony took place on 22 October 2019.[3] Akihito's younger son, Prince Akishino, is his brother's heir presumptive. The ceremony cost 16.6 billion Yen.[4]
In 2010, Emperor Akihito informed his advisory council that he would eventually like to retire from his position. However, no action was taken by senior members of the Imperial Household Agency.[5]
On 13 July 2016, national broadcaster NHK reported that the Emperor wished to abdicate in favour of his eldest son, Crown Prince Naruhito within a few years.[6]
Senior officials within the Imperial Household Agency denied that there was any official plan for the monarch to abdicate. A potential abdication by the Emperor would require an amendment to the Imperial Household Law, which has no provisions for such a move.[7] [8]
On 8 August 2016, the Emperor gave a rare televised address, where he emphasized his advanced age and declining health;[9] this address was interpreted as an implication of his intention to abdicate.[10] [11]
See main article: Emperor Abdication Law. With the intention of the abdication now known, the Cabinet Office appointed Yasuhiko Nishimura as the Imperial Household Agency's Vice Grand Steward. In October 2016, the Cabinet Office appointed a panel of experts to debate the Emperor's abdication.[12]
In January 2017, the Lower House Budget committee began informally debating the constitutional nature of the abdication.
On 19 May 2017, the bill that would allow Akihito to abdicate was issued by the Cabinet of Japan. On 8 June 2017, the National Diet passed it into law, permitting the government to begin arranging the process of handing over the position to Crown Prince Naruhito.[13] This meant the Imperial Household Law was changed for the first time since 1949. The abdication officially occurred on 30 April 2019.[14] [15]
He received the title of, an abbreviation of, upon abdicating, and his wife, the Empress, became .[16]
On 1 December 2017, the Imperial Household Council, which had not met in 24 years, did so in order to schedule the ceremonies involved in the first such transfer of power in two centuries.[17] [18]
The Imperial Household Council consists of the prime minister, the speaker and vice-speaker of the House of Representatives, the president and vice-president of the House of Councillors, the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency, the chief justice and one justice of the Supreme Court, and two members of the Imperial family. Fumihito, Prince Akishino, the Emperor's younger son, asked to recuse himself as he would become the next Crown Prince. He was replaced by Masahito, Prince Hitachi, the Emperor's 82-year-old younger brother. The other member of the imperial family was Hitachi's wife, Hanako, Princess Hitachi.[19]
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told reporters that the date was chosen to permit the old Emperor to be able to preside over the 30th anniversary Jubilee and to coincide with the Golden Week annual holiday period, turning the changeover from a period of mourning and makeshift ceremonial into a joyous, well-planned festival.[20]
Finally, on 8 December 2017, the government created a special committee to oversee the events. According to Suga, it would "deal with the matter properly, taking into consideration the possible impact on the people's lives."[21]
The committee met for the first time in January 2018, and the following month announced that a plan called a "basic policy statement," would be released on 3 April.[22] Official farewell celebrations began with a 30th Jubilee ceremony on 12 February 2019, a delay which would avoid any implication of a celebration of the death of the Emperor Shōwa on 7 January.[23]
The government consolidated the Golden Week into a special ten-day holiday block lasting from 27 April to 6 May. Even without the imperial transition, 29 April and 3–6 May were scheduled as national holidays in 2019, following the weekend of 27–28 April. To mark the imperial transition, the government determined that the abdication and enthronement would both be national holidays. Japanese law states that a regular work day sandwiched between two national holidays becomes a public holiday.[24]
Since the Meiji Restoration in 1867, a new Japanese era starts the day after the death of the previous emperor. However, in Emperor Akihito's case, manufacturers of calendars, forms, and other paper products needed to know the new era's name in advance to produce wares in a timely manner.[25] [26]
While the era names for the Shōwa and Heisei eras were kept state secrets until the deaths of the previous emperors, that was not possible in this case, because an abdication had been unprecedented since the 1889 Meiji Constitution was adopted. In order to prevent divisive debate on the subject, delaying the announcement as late as was practically possibleeither the old Emperor's birthday or his jubilee celebrationshad been suggested.[27]
Until the era name became known, computers and software manufacturers needed to test their systems before the transition in order to ensure that the new era would be handled correctly by their software. Some systems provided test mechanisms to simulate a new era ahead of time.[28]
The new era name,, was revealed on 1 April 2019 by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga during a televised press conference.[29]
The formal enthronement of Emperor Naruhito took place at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on 22 October 2019, marking the end of the transition period. It was an extra holiday.[30] It was attended by current and former Japanese politicians and more than 3,000 other official guests, which included more than 120 heads of state and government, as well as high-profile delegates from about 210 countries and territories and 9 organizations (the only country not to be invited to this ceremony was Syria).[31]
The ceremony began at 9 am JST (02:00 UTC) with the private ritual when the Emperor, dressed in white traditional court wear, visited the Kashiko-dokoro, the main sanctuary in the Tokyo Imperial Palace where the Sun Goddess is said to be enshrined.[32]
At 1 pm JST (06:00 UTC), the main portion of the ceremony began. Emperor Naruhito wore the sokutai and Empress Masako wore the jūnihitoe. They took their places on the 6.5-metre (21-foot) Takamikura throne at the Matsu-no-Ma (Pine Hall), and the Emperor gave a speech which emphasized his role as the symbol of the State. The speech then followed by a congratulatory speech by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and three cheers of banzai.[33]
The ceremony was attended by representatives of around 174 countries, including foreign royalties, heads of state and government.[34] [35] A state banquet hosted by Emperor Naruhito himself was organized later in the day.[36]
A parade to celebrate Naruhito's enthronement as Emperor took place on 10 November at 3 pm local time (06:00 UTC) as tens of thousands of people gathered in the city centre of Tokyo waving the Japanese flag. The Emperor and Empress used a Toyota Century convertible, which was followed by vehicles with Crown Prince Fumihito and his wife Crown Princess Kiko as well as Shinzō Abe.[37] [38]
The procession forming a 400-metre motorcade was started from Tokyo Imperial Palace, passed the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department and the main gate of the Diet building before arriving at the couple's residence in the Akasaka Imperial Grounds on the 4.6-kilometre-long (3-mile-long) route.[39] [40]
Emperor Akihito informs his advisory council that he would like to abdicate eventually and asks for their help in arranging this.
The following table lists abdication and enthronement ceremonies in chronological order. Private ceremonies are listed as "Private". State acts are listed as "Public".[61] [62]
| width=30pt | Date | Ceremony | Native Name | Description | Type | width=200pt | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | |||||||
| 12 March | Kashikodokoro-ni-Taii-oyobi-sono-Kijitsu-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Akihito reports his abdication to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Taii-oyobi-sono-Kijitsu-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Akihito reports his abdication to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace respectively. | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Jingū-Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-oyobi-Shōwa-Tennō-izen-Yondai-no-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Chokushi-Hakken-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests are sent to the Ise Grand Shrine, the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu, and the mausoleums of the 4 most recent Emperors to report Emperor Akihito's abdication. | Private | Imperial Residence, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 15 March | Jingū-ni-Hohei-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests make offerings and report Emperor Akihito's abdication at the Ise Grand Shrine. | Private | Ise Grand Shrine, Ise, Mie Prefecture | |||
| Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-oyobi-Shōwa-Tennō-izen-Yondai-no-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Hōhei-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests report Emperor Akihito's abdication to the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu, and the mausoleums of the 4 most recent Emperors. | Private | , Kashihara, Nara Prefecture (Emperor Jimmu) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Shōwa) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Taishō) , Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Meiji) , Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Kōmei) | ||||
| 26 March | Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | The Emperor and Empress pay respects at the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu in Kashihara, Nara Prefecture. | Private | , Kashihara, Nara Prefecture | |||
| 18 April | Jingū-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | The Emperor and Empress pay respects at the Ise Grand Shrine. | Private | Ise Grand Shrine, Ise, Mie Prefecture | |||
| 23 April | Shōwa-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | The Emperor and Empress pay respects at the mausoleum of his late father, Emperor Shōwa, at the Musashi Imperial Graveyard in Hachiōji, Tokyo. | Private | , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo | |||
| 30 April | Taiirei-Tōjitsu-Kashikodokoro-Ōmae-no-gi | Emperor Akihito reports the conduct of his abdication to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Taiirei-Tōjitsu-Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Akihito reports the conduct of his abdication to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace respectively. | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Taiirei-Seiden-no-gi | Emperor Akihito announces his resignation from the throne at the and receives audience with the representatives of the people for the last time. | Public | , Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 1 May | Kenji-tō-Shōkei-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito inherits two of the three Imperial Regalia of Japan, as well as the Privy Seal, and the State Seal at the . | Public | , Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Sokui-go-Chōken-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito meets for the first time with the representatives of the people. | Public | , Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Kashikodokoro-no-gi | (1 – 3 May) Rituals by proxy to report to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace that the accession to the throne has taken place. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Hōkoku-no-gi | Rituals by proxies to report to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den of the Three Palace Sanctuaries of the Imperial Palace respectively that the accession to the throne has taken place. | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 4 May (rescheduled from 26 October)[63] | Gosokui-Ippan-Sanga | Event for Emperor Naruhito to receive congratulations from the general public after the accession to the throne has taken place. | Public | Chōwaden Reception Hall, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 8 May | Kashikodokoro-ni-Kijitsu-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito reports the dates of the and the to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Kijitsu-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito reports the dates of the and the to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den respectively. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Jingū-Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-oyobi-Shōwa-Tennō-izen-Yondai-no-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Chokushi-Hakken-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests are sent to the Ise Grand Shrine, the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu, and the mausoleums of the 4 most recent late Emperors to report the dates of the and the . | Private | Imperial Residence, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 10 May | Jingū-ni-Hōhei-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests make offerings and report the dates of the and the at the Ise Grand Shrine. | Private | Ise Grand Shrine, Ise, Mie Prefecture | |||
| Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-oyobi-Shōwa-Tennō-izen-Yondai-no-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Hōhei-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests report the dates of the and the to the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu, and the mausoleums of the 4 most recent late Emperors. | Private | , Kashihara, Nara Prefecture (Emperor Jimmu) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Shōwa) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Taishō) , Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Meiji) , Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Kōmei) | ||||
| 13 May | Saiden-Tentei-no-gi | Ceremony to select one Prefecture each from both the and the regions, where the rice from the to be used for the is designated. | Private | Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 26 July | Daijōkyū-Jichinsai | (Minor Rites) Ceremony to purify the land where the temporary for the will be built. | Private | East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 26 September | Saiden-Nukiho-zen-Ichinichi-Ōharai | (Minor Rites) Ceremony to purify the souls of the Imperial envoys and those who harvest the rice held the day before harvest. | Private | , Takanezawa, Tochigi Prefecture and, Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture[64] | |||
| 27 September | Saiden-Nukiho-no-gi | Ceremony to harvest the rice at the two . | Private | Saiden of Takanezawa, Tochigi Prefecture and Saiden of Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture | |||
| 15 October | Yuki-Suki-Ryō-Chihō-Shinkoku-Kyōno | Ceremony to deliver the harvested rice from at the and the regions. | Private | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 22 October | Sokuirei-Tōjitsu-Kashikodokoro-Ōmae-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito reports the conduct of the Enthronement Ceremony to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Sokuirei-Tōjitsu-Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Hōkoku-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito reports the conduct of the Enthronement Ceremony to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den respectively. | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Sokuirei-Seiden-no-gi | Emperor Naruhito proclaims his enthronement and receives felicitations from representatives of the people from at home and abroad at the . | Public | , Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Kyōen-no-gi | (22, 25, 29, 31 October) Court banquets to celebrate the enthronement and receive congratulations from guests. | Public | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 23 October | Naikaku-Sōridaijin-Fusai-Shusai-Bansankai | State banquet for foreign heads of state, royals, heads of government, representatives and government officials. | Public | Hotel New Otani, Kioi, Chiyoda, Tokyo | |||
| 8 November | Jingū-ni-Chokushi-Hakken-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests are sent to the Ise Grand Shrine to make offerings and report that the will be taking place. | Private | Imperial Residence, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 10 November (rescheduled from 22 October) | Shukuga-Onretsu-no-gi | Procession to show and receive good wishes from the people by motor car. | Public | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo, to, Moto-Akasaka, Minato, Tokyo | |||
| 12 November | Daijōsai-zen-Futsuka-Gokei | (Minor Rites) Ceremony to purify the souls of the Emperor and Empress held two days before the . | Private | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Daijōsai-zen-Futsuka-Ōharai | (Minor Rites) Ceremony to purify the souls of the members of the Imperial Family and those concerned held two days before the . | Private | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 13 November | Daijōsai-zen-Ichinichi-Chinkon-no-gi | Ceremony to pray for the peace and safety of the Emperor and those concerned so that all the ceremonies related to the will be carried out smoothly and safely held one day before the said ceremony. | Private | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Daijōsai-zen-Ichinichi-Daijōkyū-Chinsai | Ceremony to pray for the peace of the held one day before the said ceremony. | Private | East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 14 November | Daijōsai-Tōjitsu-Jingū-ni-Hōhei-no-gi | Imperial messengers and priests make offerings and report that the is taking place at the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace at the Ise Grand Shrine. | Private | Ise Grand Shrine, Ise, Mie Prefecture | |||
| Daijōsai-Tōjitsu-Kashikodokoro-Omike-Kyōshin-no-gi | Rituals by proxy to report to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro that the is to take place and to make divine oblation. | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Daijōsai-Tōjitsu-Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Hōkoku-no-gi | Rituals by proxy to report to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology that the is to take place. | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Daijōkyū-no-gi (Yukiden-Kyōsen-no-gi, Sukiden-Kyōsen-no-gi) | The Emperor makes an offering of the rice, the sake made from this rice, millet, fish and a variety of other foods to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami and to the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at both the halls (14 November) and the halls (15 November) of the and partakes of it himself, giving thanks and praying for peace and abundant harvests for the country and for the Japanese people. | Private | East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 16 November | Daijōsai-go-Ichinichi-Daijōkyū-Chinsai | Ceremony to express appreciation for the peace of the held on the day following the . | Private | East Gardens of the Imperial Palace, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Daikyō-no-gi | (16, 18 November) Imperial feasts in which the Emperor offers white sake, black sake and a relish to those present and all partake together. | Private | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| 22 November | Sokuirei-oyobi-Daijōsai-go-Jingū-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | (22, 23 November) The Emperor and Empress pay respects at the Ise Grand Shrine after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | Ise Grand Shrine, Ise, Mie Prefecture | |||
| 27 November | Sokuirei-oyobi-Daijōsai-go-Jinmu-Tennō-Sanryō-oyobi-Shōwa-Tennō-izen-Yondai-no-Tennō-Sanryō-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | (27, 28 November, 3 December) The Emperor and Empress pay respects at the mausoleum of Emperor Jimmu, and the mausoleums of the 4 most recent late Emperors after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | , Kashihara, Nara Prefecture (Emperor Jimmu) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Shōwa) , Musashi Imperial Graveyard, Hachiōji, Tokyo (Emperor Taishō) , Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Meiji) , Higashiyama-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture (Emperor Kōmei) | |||
| 28 November | Chakai | Reception held during the Emperor's visit to Kyoto for representatives of various circles in the Kinki area which has close ties with the Imperial Family since ancient times held after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | Kyoto Imperial Palace, Kyōtogyoen, Kamigyō-ku, Kyoto | |||
| 4 December | Sokuirei-oyobi-Daijōsai-go-Kashikodokoro-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | The Emperor pays respects to the sun goddess Amaterasu-ōmikami at the Kashiko-dokoro after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Sokuirei-oyobi-Daijōsai-go-Kōreiden-Shinden-ni-Shin'etsu-no-gi | The Emperor pays respects to the Ancestral Spirits of the Imperial Family from one year after their death and the from Takamagahara and from Japanese mythology at the Kōrei-den and Shin-den respectively after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | Kōrei-den and Shin-den, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| Sokuirei-oyobi-Daijōsai-go-Kashikodokoro-Mikagura-no-gi | Ceremonial performance of Mi-kagura (ritual music and dance) after the Enthronement Ceremony and the . | Private | Kashiko-dokoro, Three Palace Sanctuaries, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||
| After removal | Daijōsai-go-Daijōkyū-Jichinsai | (Minor Rites) Ceremony to purify the land of the after they have been dismantled. | Private | East Gardens of the Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| 2020 | |||||||
| 8 November, 10:55 Tokyo time[65] (rescheduled from 19 April) | Rikkōshi-Senmei-no-gi | Ceremony to proclaim Prince Akishino as (a rank equivalent to Crown Prince) and receives felicitations from representatives of the people from at home and abroad at the Imperial Palace. | Public | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | |||
| Chōken-no-gi | Ceremony for the Emperor and Empress to meet the Crown Prince for the first time after the proclamation ceremony. | Public | Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo | ||||