Kim Kyung-Hoon
Japan’s Emperor Akihito is set to abdicate from the throne after the country’s parliament approved a one-time bill on Friday allowing him to step down. Akihito will be the first emperor to abdicate in 200 years. The 83-year-old, who has suffered from a range of health issues in recent years, has occupied the throne since 1989, and there was no current legislation to allow him to resign. He is expected to officially abdicate in late 2018, at which point Crown Prince Naruhito will take his place. As emperor, Akihito has no political powers and is constitutionally barred from making political statements—meaning he could not say explicitly that he wanted to abdicate. But he hinted that his deteriorating health was hindering his ability to fulfill his duties in a rare speech last year.