Emperor Akihito delivers his last New Year's speech before his abdication – 02/01/2019 – World



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According to the imperial palace, more than 72,000 people gathered in the capital, the capital of Japan. a royal residence Wednesday morning in Tokyo, at his last opportunity to see the 85-year-old emperor deliver his New Year message.

"I pray for the peace and happiness of the people of our country and the world" said Akihito, accompanied by Empress Michiko and other members of her family.

Akihito will leave when he abdicates on behalf of his son, Prince Nahurito, 58 years old.

Throughout his reign, the present emperor sought to approach the Japanese people and expand his relations with other countries, notably

He belongs to the world's oldest hereditary monarchy , begun in 660 BC For centuries, it was thought that emperors had magical power and could communicate with the gods.

The last Japanese ruler to be considered divine is Akihito's father, Emperor Hiroito (1901-1989), who ruled the country during the Second World War.

With the defeat, Hiroito must give a speech of surrender on the radio. It was the first time that ordinary Japanese heard the voice of their leader.

The 1947 constitution, imposed by the victorious countries of the war, forced Hiroito to renounce the status of divinity. The position of emperor became only symbolic, without political power. Hiroito would remain in office four more decades until his death.

Akihito is proclaimed crown prince in 1952, at the age of 18 years. His first official trip abroad was to London for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.

In the late 1950s, he broke the tradition and married a commoner, the current Empress Michiko , that he met at a tennis club.

While waiting to win the title, Akihito has made more than 50 trips abroad, including two in Brazil. In 1967, more than 60,000 people, mostly descendents of Japanese, came to see him at an event at the Pacaembu stadium in São Paulo. The monarch was also honored by a parade of floats in the Anhangabaú Valley.

In addition to traveling, he became a researcher in marine biology and published dozens of scientific articles in journals such as Science and Nature. His research focuses on goby fish.

During his reign, Akihito saw Japan face years of economic stagnation and be overtaken by China as the largest Asian power. In 1990, when he took office, Japan's GDP grew to 2.92 billion US dollars, nine times more than China's (393 billion US dollars at the time). In 2017, China's GDP ($ 12.2 trillion) was three times higher than Japan's ($ 4.87 billion).

Akihito travels to China in 1992 and discusses the damage done during the Japanese invasion of 1937, but did not apologize. "In the long history between our countries, there has been an unhappy period in which my country has inflicted great suffering on the Chinese people, and on this subject I feel a deep sadness," he said. in Beijing.

As an emperor, he traveled to Brazil in 1997 and met with President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. In 2005, he received President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in Tokyo. "The emperor has great sympathy for Brazil and especially for the Japanese-Brazilians," said Yasushi Noguchi, Japan's consul in São Paulo.

Akihito also suffered major natural disasters in Japan, such as the Kobe earthquake. He left about 6,400 dead in 1995 and the earthquake was followed by a tsunami that killed more than 20,000 people in 2011.

"The Emperor has always shown a Great solidarity with the victims and went to the scene of tragedies to help improve the mood of the people, people, "recalls Noguchi. The consul recalls that Emperor Hiroito, the father of Akihito, traveled several Japanese cities to motivate the Japanese to continue their efforts to rebuild the country after World War II.

As Akihito grew older, he had several health problems, including cancer. of the prostate, diagnosed in 2003, gastric hemorrhage and cardiac obstruction.

Health problems have gradually reduced its program of commitments. In 2017, the Japanese Congress pbaded a law allowing it to resign from office. In the last 201 years, no emperor has left the throne alive.

The imperial exchange literally marks the beginning of a new era in Japan, each monarch giving his name to a historical period. For some official documents, we are in the year 30 of the Heisei era, which means "achievement of peace".

Before leaving his post, Akihito will be honored at a party organized for his 30-year reign in February. In 2019, the country will also host the next G20 meeting in June and on October 22nd, a large party will celebrate the coronation of the new emperor.

Oct.1992: He makes the first visit of a Japanese emperor to China.

CHRONOLOGY

7.jan.1989: He badumes as emperor of Japan, after the death of the father

Jan.1995: An earthquake of 7.3 degrees reached Kobe makes more than 6,000 dead

Jun.2002: Japan hosts the World Cup football. Akihito attends the final, but does not deliver the championship cup to the Brazilian national team

Jan. 2003: Is operated for removal of prostate cancer

]. 2009: Visit to Hawaii, attacked by Japan during the Second World War

. The first speech of a Japanese emperor on television, after the earthquake and tsunami that struck the country

February 2012 Publication of a 350-page study on the goby in partnership with other researchers

Jan.2016: He is hospitalized for heart surgery Visit the Philippines and pays tribute to the victims of the Second World War

Aug.2016: In a speech, propose the desire to leave the throne

30.abr.2019: Date marked for the abrogation

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