Japan to Downsize Emperor Emeritus Akihito’s Funeral Rite

Tokyo, Sept. 2 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s Imperial Household Agency is considering holding a funeral rite for Emperor Emeritus Akihito on a considerably smaller scale than that of his father, Emperor Hirohito, posthumously called Emperor Showa, based on a request from the Emperor Emeritus himself, sources in the agency said Wednesday. The agency is in talks on holding the “Sojoden-no-Gi” funeral at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, according to the sources. While the 92-year-old former Emperor does not have major health issues, he has expressed his desire that the impact of his funeral on people’s lives should be as small as possible. In response, the agency announced in 2013 that Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko will have smaller mausoleums than those of the previous Japanese Emperors and Empresses, as well as simpler funeral rituals. According to the sources, candidate venues for Sojoden-no-Gi for the Emperor Emeritus include the “Matsu-no-Ma” hall at the palace, where the safety of attendees can be ensured even in the event of sudden changes in weather conditions. This is based on the Emperor Emeritus’ hope that the event should take into consideration the impact on people’s lives and the environment. Sojoden-no-Gi and “Taiso-no-Rei,” a state funeral, for Emperor Showa in 1989 were held at the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden in Tokyo, with a total of about 10,000 people attending from inside and outside of Japan. A funeral at the Imperial Palace is expected to be attended by a far smaller number of people. Emperor Emeritus Akihito ascended the throne in January 1989, following the death of his father. In 2016, then Emperor Akihito in a video message released to the public indicated that he would like to abdicate. He stepped down at the end of April 2019 and now lives with Empress Emerita Michiko at their residence in the Akasaka Estate in the Motoakasaka district of Tokyo’s Minato Ward. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]