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For the first time in over 200 years, an Emperor in the Japanese royal family has officially stepped down. The 85 year-old Emperor Akihito, decided to step down due to personal health issues, believing himself to be no longer fit to hold the position of Emperor. His eldest son, Naruhito, would take his place.

His reign lasted 30 years, and the end of his reign marks the end of the Heisei era, and the dawn of the Reiwa era, following Naruhito’s ascension. Akihito will be remembered as the first “human” Emperor of Japan, being one of the first emperors not perceived as a divine figure by his people. He would, instead, be remembered fondly, as one of his own people, as a person, not a god.

Akihito would ascend to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989, after the death of his father, Hirohito, emperor during WW2. He rose during Japan’s economic golden era, set forth by a technology and stock boom, things seemed to be going well for Akihito. However, suddenly, only a year into his rule, Japan would meet a disaster. The asset bubble burst, and Japan's stocks collapsed, by up to 35%. Only a handful of years after this, Japan would be hit by the 1995 6.9 magnitude earthquake.

This would not be the end to the Japanese suffering at the time. Japan in 2011 would face one of the biggest disasters not only the nation has seen, but the whole would. 2011, the Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, at an incredible 9.0 magnitude. Well over 16,000 would be killed in the disaster. Not only would there be massive damage and loss of human life, but the Fukushima nuclear disaster would also happen, expelling many from their homes to the point where only recently some residents were allowed to return home.

Amidst this disaster, Akihito would do something unprecedented, something comparable to Hirohito’s address to the Japanese people over radio at the end of WW2, he spoke to them. He would become the first Emperor to address his people over television, and would even fly out to speak to the victims of Fukushima, an action that would shock conservatives in the nation. This behavior and empathy was not the way an emperor should behave, many of them would think. However, Akihito would continue to meet with so called “common folk” in their time of need.

Prof Jeff Kingston, from Temple University in Tokyo, would go on to state, “He goes to shelters and not like a politician going for a photo op, to wave and leave. He sits with people and drinks tea and engages in conversation in a way that was unthinkable in the pre-1945 era."

Although physically small and frail looking, Akihito would be quite the reformist and activist. Not only would he involve the role of Emperor more with the people, but would also fight against a Japanese tradition, denying war crimes. The Japanese emperor is banned from holding or expressing political opinions, due to their influence on the people, however this has not stopped Akihito. He has publicly apologized and visited many past enemies of Japan, he has tried to reconcile, something many Japanese revisionists and politicians struggle with. As wartime emperor Hirohito’s son, it is understandable as to why Akihito is so dedicated to healing its old war time scars, and to seek forgiveness for its past.

He would even get into a subtle, but strong fight against Japan’s current prime minister, Shinzo Abe. In a speech on the 70th anniversary of the end of WW2, Abe would go on to state that “The peace and prosperity we enjoy today is owing to the sacrifice of the three million Japanese who died during the war." Akihito would only a day later state essentially that, “The prosperity we enjoy today is down to the hard work and sacrifice of the Japanese people after the war." Millions of Japanese would see this subtle battle between the Emperor and revisionists, and he would of course influence their views, with the issue of revisionism and rising nationalism in Japan still being a heavily debated.

Despite being possibly the first ever “human” emperor, Akihito has done more for his nation than those who came before him. With meaningful empathy, speeches, and going against the government when he sees wrong. His final legacy will likely be his son, Naruhito, now emperor, who is greatly influenced by his father, and sharing his views. Naruhito vows for Japanese unity, and with his father's wisdom, it seems that Japan will be in good hands.