Why Japan's Emperor Abdication MattersJapan's Emperor Akihito: Why it Matters if The Leader of the World's Oldest Hereditary Monarchy Abdicates Japanese Emperor Akihito addresses a speech at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, Japan, August 7. Imperial Household Agency of Japan/Reuters At age 82, and in declining health, the emperor of Japan, Akihito, indicated in a televised address on August 9 that he is contemplating abdication from the
