Emperor Emeritus Akihito marked his 92nd birthday on December 23. This year, the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, saw the former emperor reflecting on the war's history. His condition remains stable following a heart diagnosis earlier this year.
Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who ascended the throne in 1989 as crown prince to Emperor Hirohito and abdicated in 2019 after a 30-year reign, turned 92 on Tuesday. His wife, former Empress Michiko, celebrated her 91st birthday in October.
In May, Akihito was diagnosed with asymptomatic myocardial ischemia, a condition where blood flow to the heart muscles drops below sufficient levels. He began a new medication regimen in July, and his condition has remained relatively stable since, according to the Imperial Household Agency. He continues his lifelong research on goby fish, visiting a biology institute within the Imperial Palace twice a week.
Marking the 80th anniversary of World War II's end, the former emperor and empress followed their son Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako's visits to Iwoto Island, Okinawa, Hiroshima, and Nagasaki to honor the war dead. They also watched television programs on the fading history of the war. On four key anniversaries—Okinawa Memorial Day, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and Japan's surrender—the couple offered silent prayers, as they do annually.
Akihito recalled his own wartime evacuation to the countryside and meetings with second-generation Japanese during his 2016 visit to the Philippines. In August, while resting in Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture, he visited a district where people resettled after returning from northeastern China, once known as Manchuria, and reflected on its history.
During foreign royal visits to Japan for the Osaka World Exposition this year, Akihito expressed a desire to reunite with Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf, with whom he shares long-standing ties. The pair had a warm conversation at the former emperor's Sento imperial residence. Regarding the 2025 Tokyo Deaflympics, the former emperor and his wife expressed joy over the event's growth.
