Emperor Akihito succeeded his father, Hirohito, in 1989 Japan's Emperor Akihito has expressed his desire to abdicate in the next few years, public broadcaster NHK reports. The 82-year-old, who has had health problems in recent years, reportedly does not wish to remain emperor if he has to reduce his official duties. But a palace spokesman denied that there is any official plan for the monarch to a
![Japanese Emperor Akihito 'wishes to abdicate'](https://cdn-ak-scissors.b.st-hatena.com/image/square/9c3baef84bec56175b9af20ddd6f580a345c2a8e/height=288;version=1;width=512/https%3A%2F%2Fichef.bbci.co.uk%2Fnews%2F1024%2Fbranded_news%2F14773%2Fproduction%2F_90372838_mediaitem90372837.jpg)