Akihito

Akihito is the 125th emperor of Japan with a long family history that dates back more than 2,600 years.

Emperor

December 23, 1933

91

Akihito, the 125th Japanese Emperor, reigned from 1989 to 2019 and is renowned for his dedication to promoting peace, reconciliation, biodiversity, and environmental conservation. Born on December 23, 1933, Akihito has a family history that spans over 2,600 years. He assumed the Chrysanthemum Throne in 1989, marking the beginning of the Heisei era, which symbolized the pursuit of global peace. In April 2019, Akihito became the first Japanese emperor to retire and abdicate in more than 200 years, a practice not uncommon for Japanese monarchs in the past.

Throughout his reign, Akihito was actively involved in creating gardens, studying gobiid fish, and serving as a patron of the sciences and arts. He established a research institute on the Imperial Palace grounds to study gobiid fish and published several papers in the 1950s, leading to the discovery of two new species. One of these species was named after his late father, Hirohito. Akihito’s notable achievements also include receiving the 1990 Royal Order of the Seraphim from Sweden and the 1998 Order of the Garter from the United Kingdom.

Akihito’s reign as Emperor of Japan was characterized by his commitment to peace, environmental conservation, and scientific research, and his abdication in 2019 marked a significant moment in Japanese history.