Japan's parliament passes law to allow Emperor Akihito's abdication

Catherine Garcia, The Week US's avatar
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Emperor Akihito.
(Image credit: Ken Ishii/Getty Images)

A new law passed by Japan's parliament on Friday will let 82-year-old Emperor Akihito abdicate, becoming the first monarch to do so in 200 years.

In August, Akihito said that because of health issues, he wanted to step down. The government backs male-only succession, which would make Crown Prince Naruhito, 57, next in line. In post-World War II Japan, the emperor cannot get involved in politics or have any governmental powers, but serves as "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people," USA Today reports. Under the new law, Akihito has three years to abdicate.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US
Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.