Japan's Emperor Akihito has strongly indicated he wants to step down, saying he fears his age will make it difficult to fulfil his duties. The revered 82-year-old emperor's comments came in only his second-ever televised address to the public.

Emperor Akihito did not explicitly say he wanted to abdicate as he is barred from making political statements. PM Shinzo Abe said the government would take the remarks "seriously" and discuss what could be done.
"Upon reflecting how he handles his official duty and so on, his age and the current situation of how he works, I do respect the heavy responsibility the emperor must be feeling and I believe we need to think hard about what we can do," he said.


Akihito, who has had heart surgery and was treated for prostate cancer, has been on the throne in Japan since the death of his father, Hirohito, in 1989. In his 10-minute pre-recorded message, he said he had "started to reflect" on his years as as emperor, and contemplate his position in the years to come.


If he were to abdicate, it would be the first time a Japanese emperor has stepped down since Emperor Kokaku in 1817.
The BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tokyo says right wing nationalists who support Mr Abe's government do not want any change to the current law, which insists emperors must serve until they die.Emperor Akihito said he hoped the duties of the emperor as a symbol of the state could continue steadily without any breaks.

BBC

*This can never happen in this part of the world.

http://esther.com.ng/japans-82-year-old-head-of-state-wants-to-step-down/

Can any Nigerian leader ever think of doing such a thing. http://esther.com.ng/japans-82-year-old-head-of-state-wants-to-step-down/

These are people who put their people's interest at heart first.
Imagine our old men stepping down from office for whatever reason, that can only happen when hell freezes over