# The Emperor of Japan has abdicated
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 30, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263 "2019-04-30T14:17:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/1 "2019-04-30T14:17:16Z")
[At midnight tonight, Japanese Emperor Akihito steps down, and Crown Prince Naruhito becomes the new Emperor,](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/emperor-announces-abdication-as-japan-marks-end-of-era/ar-AAAIExm?li=BBnb7Kz) Thirty years on the throne-not a bad run.
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### Author:  [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/2 "2019-04-30T14:38:43Z")
Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!
(for Naruhito)
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### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/3 "2019-04-30T14:41:38Z")
I wish Asian monarchies and officialdom would finally step back from outdated English/European formal wear. It looks so out of place.
That said, while I recognize that white has respectful connotations in much of Asia, his wife almost looked like a ghostly spectre, in the photos I’ve seen!
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/4 "2019-04-30T14:52:36Z")
> [@elbows](#):
>
> I wish Asian monarchies and officialdom would finally step back from outdated English/European formal wear. It looks so out of place.
>
> That said, while I recognize that white has respectful connotations in much of Asia, his wife almost looked like a ghostly spectre, in the photos I’ve seen!
Nobody will notice her at the ceremony…because females apparently aren’t allowed.
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### Author:  [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/5 "2019-04-30T15:55:38Z")
I don’t know what the future holds for him, but I’m going to imagine a retirement community buddy comedy with him and Pope Sidious.
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### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/6 "2019-04-30T16:21:53Z")
Note from Queen Elizabeth II: “Sorry to hear the temp job didn’t work out.”
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### Author:  [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/7 "2019-04-30T16:32:21Z")
Note to QE II: “See, mother? That’s how it’s done”. Love, Chuckie.
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### Author:  [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/8 "2019-04-30T16:49:23Z")
So now Naruhito takes on the duty of calling Ultraman when Tokyo is threatened by Kaiju.
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### Author:  [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/9 "2019-04-30T17:04:16Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#):
>
> So now Naruhito takes on the duty of calling Ultraman when Tokyo is threatened by Kaiju.
Susumu Kurobe (Hayata) is still alive and acting. It could happen.
~Max
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2019, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/10 "2019-04-30T17:09:58Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> Note from Queen Elizabeth II: “Sorry to hear the temp job didn’t work out.”
🙂
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### Author:  [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/11 "2019-05-01T14:12:44Z")
[Here’s a post](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=19092937&postcount=19) from a few years ago that touches on the problems that the monarchy might face one day if the Crown Prince’s nephew does not produce any male heirs.
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### Author:  [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/12 "2019-05-01T16:18:07Z")
But, did he let the punishment fit the crime, the punishment fit the crime?
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### Author:  [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/13 "2019-05-01T16:32:51Z")
I suppose he might have a little list…
My best wishes to the new Japanese Emperor. I hope his wife the Empress, in particular, will have a happier life from now on.
> **[Naruhito](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruhito)**
>
> The Emperor EmeritusThe Empress Emerita
> The Princess Mikasa
> Naruhito (徳仁, pronounced \[naɾɯꜜçi̥to\]; born 23 February 1960) is Emperor of Japan. He acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, beginning the Reiwa era, following the abdication of his father, Akihito. He is the 126th monarch according to Japan's traditional order of succession.
> **[Empress Masako](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Masako)**
>
> The Emperor EmeritusThe Empress Emerita
> The Princess Mikasa
> Masako (雅子, born Masako Owada (小和田雅子, Owada Masako); 9 December 1963) is the empress of Japan (皇后, kōgō) as the consort of Emperor Naruhito, who ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.
> Born in Tokyo, Masako was educated at Belmont High School before attending Harvard College and earning a B.A. magna cum laude in economics. She also studied law at the University of Tokyo and international relations at Balliol College, Oxford. She...
I also hope Japan will finally get around to adopting absolute primogeniture for acceding to the throne.
> **[Japanese imperial succession debate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_succession_debate)**
>
> From 2005 to 2012, Japan discussed the possibility of changing the laws of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, which is currently limited to males of the Japanese Imperial Family.
> As of 2021, there are three people in the line of succession to the current Emperor Naruhito: Crown Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito, and Prince Hitachi. Prior to the birth of Prince Hisahito in 2006, the government of Japan considered changes to the Imperial Household Law to allow additional potential successors t...
> **[Primogeniture | Absolute primogeniture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture#Absolute_primogeniture)**
>
> Absolute, equal, or lineal primogeniture is a form of primogeniture in which sex is irrelevant for inheritance; the oldest surviving child without regard to sex inherits the throne. Mathematically this is a depth-first search.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/14 "2019-05-01T19:34:12Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#):
>
> But, did he let the punishment fit the crime, the punishment fit the crime?
Something to do with boiling oil…or melted lead. Yes, I’m quite sure melted lead came into it somewhere.
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### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/15 "2019-05-01T19:39:09Z")
The Royal Family, and thus the Emperor position, is doomed. It is very small and has no allowance for bringing in any new blood while retaining the throne.
And the new guy looks like [WWE’s Funaki](https://cdn.bleacherreport.net/images_root/slides/photos/000/354/482/Funaki_original.jpg?1282460488).
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### Author:  [@Sarabellum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarabellum)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/16 "2019-05-01T20:15:21Z")
Is it petty of me to be having a bit of enjoyment, knowing that Masako is now the empress and in total control of the court life that they used to bully her for so long?
Guess who’s making the rules now?
Revenge can be sweet! Go, girl!
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### Author:  [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/17 "2019-05-01T23:26:45Z")
> [@Chimera](#):
>
> The Royal Family, and thus the Emperor position, is doomed. It is very small and has no allowance for bringing in any new blood while retaining the throne…
Agreed; they’ll go extinct unless they allow female succession of some sort, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2019, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/18 "2019-05-01T23:53:07Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#):
>
> Agreed; they’ll go extinct unless they allow female succession of some sort, but I don’t see that happening any time soon.
Admiral Halsey rests easy.
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### Author:  [@Shmendrik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shmendrik)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2019, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/19 "2019-05-02T01:06:49Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#):
>
> But, did he let the punishment fit the crime, the punishment fit the crime?
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> I suppose he might have a little list…
> [@Sarabellum](#):
>
> Is it petty of me to be having a bit of enjoyment, knowing that Masako is now the empress and in total control of the court life that they used to bully her for so long?
>
> Guess who’s making the rules now?
>
> Revenge can be sweet! Go, girl!
So you’re saying everyone has to bow, bow, to his daughter-in-law elect?
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### Author:  [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2019, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-emperor-of-japan-has-abdicated/833263/20 "2019-05-02T04:45:09Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#):
>
> I suppose he might have a little list…
>
> My best wishes to the new Japanese Emperor. I hope his wife the Empress, in particular, will have a happier life from now on.
>
> [Naruhito - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naruhito)
> [Empress Masako - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empress_Masako)
>
> I also hope Japan will finally get around to adopting absolute primogeniture for acceding to the throne.
>
> [Japanese imperial succession debate - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_succession_debate)
> [Primogeniture - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primogeniture#Absolute_primogeniture)
I think they will change the succession law out of necessity but I will be surprised if it’s a move to absolute primogeniture–that seems like a bridge too far for such a tradition-bound society. I would bet on either semi-Salic law (like what the House of Romanov had) or, at best, cognatic primogeniture.
Agnatic primogeniture isn’t inherently problematic in terms of heirs, it’s just that Japan’s royal family has had a surprising total paucity of males. Liechtenstein also has agnatic primogeniture and at last count they had a line of at least 53 eligible male heirs.
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