The Emperor of Japan Akihito, in a rare televised address to the nation, the second in 27 years, raised the possibility that, due to his age, continuing his duties could be difficult. Akihito's speech, broadcast by NHK public TV, is the second since the beginning of his reign. The first was five days after the devastating tsunami of March 11, 2011, which caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.
"I am concerned about the difficulty of performing my functions as a symbol of the state." In a 10-minute message that effectively blocked the country, Akihito, 82, expresses his fears about future difficulties in the exercise of imperial functions in the event of a situation of incapacity with heavy and negative effects on society. And he does so without ever directly mentioning the abdication, being careful not to assume a political role, unsuitable for the role of guarantor and in the absence of specific legislation that governs it in the Japanese legal system. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said to take "with seriousness" the words expressed by Emperor Akihito.
