Emperor Akihito stunned Japan last year by announcing he wanted to take a back seat after nearly 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne. - AFP
Tokyo (AFP) - Japan's Emperor Akihito will step down on March 31, 2019, a report said Friday, the first imperial retirement in more than two centuries.
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will meet top officials and members of the royal household next month before announcing the date, the Asahi Shimbun reported, citing unnamed government sources.
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