Japanese Emperor Akihito made his last pilgrimage to the country’s holiest Shinto shrine on Thursday, as people lined the route to catch a glimpse of the 85-year-old ahead of his abdication this month. Akihito and his wife Michiko’s last trip as emperor and empress to the Ise Jingu shrine in central Japan is part of […]
Akihito
Japan abdication stirs female succession debate
Japanese Emperor Akihito’s historic abdication later this month has reignited concerns over the future of what is believed to be one of the world’s oldest royal families, given its hereditary, male-only succession rules. As it stands, the fate of the Japanese imperial family rests on 12-year-old Hisahito, the son of Crown Prince Naruhito’s younger brother […]