AkihitoBiography

AkihitoisthecurrentemperorofJapan.Heascendedthethronein 1989 and is the 125th emperor of his line. This biographyprovides detailed information about his childhood, life,achievements,works&timeline.

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Famousas

EmperorofJapan

Nationality Japanese

Religion Shinto

Bornon 23December1933AD

ZodiacSign

Capricorn

Bornin Tokyo

Father Hirohito

Mother EmpressKo-jun

Siblings PrinceHitachi,KazukoTakatsukasa

Spouse: EmpressMichiko(m.1959)

ChildrenCrownPrinceNaruhito,PrinceAkishino,SayakoKuroda

Education GakushuinUniversity

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Awards

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EmperorAkihito isoneof thevery fewemperorsof themodernworld who has earned the reputation of being the ideal leader.The kind nature of Akihito became evidentwhen he decided tomake peace with China and other Asian nations almostimmediately after he succeeded his father. Even the leaders ofother powerful nations, and sections of the media, haveimmensely praised Akihito for being a humble man in spite ofhailingfromaroyalbackground.WhenthedevastatingTsunamisent shockwaves across Japan, Akihito’s inspiring speechinstilled a ray of hope in the lives of many people who wereshatteredby the catastrophe.Other than just beingamonarch,Akihito is also known for beinga scholar.Manyof his researchpapers on molecular biology have been published in variousscience journals. He was involved in specialized studiesconcernedwith‘Gobiidae’,aformoffish,anditstaxonomy.

Childhood&Early Life

Akihito was born on December 23, 1933 in the Japaneseroyal family toEmperorHirohitoandempressNagako.Hewas originally named Prince Tsugu, but the name waschanged later. He was the eldest son, and the fifth childborntohisparents.

Akihito was initially taught by private tutors, and latermovedtothePeersschool,wherehestudiedfor12years,between 1940 and 1952. It’s also claimed that he leftJapanforabriefperiodduringthisperiodtolearnEnglishfromAmericanauthorElizabethGrayVining.

In 1952, Akihito later went to Gakushuin University topursue his degree. However, he didn’t complete hisstudies.ThesameyearhewasalsocrownedthePrinceattheTokyoRoyalPalace.

CareerAlmost immediately after he was officially crowned thePrince, Akihito attended the Coronation ceremony ofQueenElizabeth II in 1953, as a representative of Japan.He also visited many American and European nationsduringthisperiod.

Akihito succeeded his father, Hirohito as the emperor ofJapan in1989after the latter ’sdeath.Henot justbecamethe 125th man to become the supreme leader, but alsoinherited prized possessions of the royal family such asthe mirror of the sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, theroyalsword,andbeads.

Merely 3 months after the demise of his father, Akihitoexpressed statements of apologies to all those AsiannationswhichsufferedbecauseofJapan.The firstnationtoreceiveAkihito’sgoodwillgesturewasChina.

In 2011, after a devastating earthquake left Japan inshambles, Akihito addressed his countrymen with aninspiring televised speech in a bid to provide hope andspreadpositivity.

Akihito became an honorary member of the esteemed

‘Linnean Society of London’ in 1980. He was also aresearch associate at the ‘Australian Museum’ and ‘TheResearchInstituteforNaturalScienceofArgentina’.

MajorWorksOtherthanmanaginghisofficialduties,Akihitoalsotookakeen interest inmarinebiology.Popularscientific journalssuchas ‘JapaneseJournalof Icythyology’and ‘Gene’hadpublishedseveralpaperswrittenbyAkihito.

Awards&AchievementsAkihito has received several awards in his long tenureasthe emperor of Japan. Notable among these are ‘Collarand Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of theChrysanthemum’, ‘Grand Cordon of the Order of theSacred Treasure’, and ‘TheGoldenMedal ofMerit of theJapaneseRedCross’.

PersonalLife &LegacyAkihito got married to Michiko Shoda, the daughter of amilling company owner in 1959. The couple have threechildren-sonsnamedNaruhitoandFumihito,aswellasadaughternamedSayakoKuroda.

Though he is blessedwith few grandchildren,Akihito andthe rest of the nation were particularly excited about thebirthofgrandsonHisahito.Hisahitowasthe firstboybornin the royal family after a long period of 41 years. Thebirthoftheyoungprincetookplacein2006.

In 2011, he was admitted at a hospital due to frequentcomplaints of fever and bronchitis. The very next year heevenwentthroughabypassheartsurgery.

Triv iaHeisthefirstemperorinthehistoryofJapantomarrythedaughter of a commoner. Later he broke many traditionswhichhispredecessorsfollowed.