When Japan’s 85-year-old Emperor Akihito retires on April 30, 2019, he becomes the first emperor in over two centuries to abdicate in the world’s oldest monarchy.<br />His son Naruhito will take over as Japan’s next emperor, setting off a chain of events including a new name on traditional calendars for the era of his reign.<br />Current Imperial Household Law, which dates back to 1947, dictates that the emperor is a “symbol of the state” with no political power, and limits succession to males in the family.<br />
