TOKYO (Reuters) - When Japanese Emperor Akihito abdicates on April 30, he and Empress Michiko will fade into retirement after decades in the spotlight.
The imperial couple's days have long been busy. They typically hosted hundreds of ceremonies and audiences annually, made at least three domestic trips per year, and have visited over 50 countries.
Nearly all that will end when his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, becomes emperor on May 1 after Akihito steps down, the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in two centuries.
"The new emperor must become a new symbol," said Makoto Watanabe, a former aide to Akihito. "The (retiring) emperor has thought seriously about how to avoid the problem of dual authority. His daily schedule is expected to almost completely disappear."
The retired couple, to be known as emperor emeritus and empress emerita, will return to Togu Palace, where they lived before Akihito became emperor, after a stay in a now-vacant imperial residence while their new home is renovated.
They will have fewer aides, but the government will still pay their living expenses.
