Akihito

1933 – 20??

Akihito reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan from 1989 until his abdication in 2019, the first Japanese monarch to step down voluntarily in more than two centuries. The era of his reign, named Heisei or "achieving peace," was defined by his repeated public expressions of remorse for Japan's wartime conduct, including landmark statements of apology during visits to China, Korea, and the Philippines. He worked throughout his reign to recast the Chrysanthemum Throne as a symbolic and humanitarian institution, breaking with centuries of imperial seclusion to engage directly with disaster victims and ordinary citizens.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 6:01 PM