Japanese Government to Draft Outline for Abdication

Japan's government is to prepare for revising the law governing the Imperial Household Law soonest at the next year's regular session of the Diet to deliberate on Emperor Akihito's wish to abdicate, bared government sources July 14.

The Imperial Household Law stipulates for imperial succession and the bounds of imperial families but not for abduction while active. A legal basis will have to be installed to allow for such process, hopefully by His Majesty's birthday December 23 this year.

Earlier in June the government set up a special task force under Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kauhiro Sugita to deliberate details. The government also plans to start a panel to hear from experts on the subject.

Grand Steward Noriyuki Kazaoka and his subordinates have been indiscreetly discussing the pros and cons of revising the Imperial Household Law since April this year and the details of deliberation are shared with Their Majesties and the Prime Minister's office. The Imperial Household Agency would shortly request His Majesty to officially express his wishes, agency officials said.

The agency has partially studied revising the Imperial Household Law and the matter of abdication since Their Majesties' visit to the Philippines last January, in conjunction with a series of discussion on how to reduce Their Majesties' state functions.

The matter of His Majesty's abdication while active involves a number of points that need to be cleared, not only of the revision of relevant laws but also of imperial succession itself.

Meanwhile, opinions are divided for and against the issue of abdication at this time - some wishing His Majesty to carry on his function as the symbol of the nation as prescribed by law while others in favor of making whatever legal revision necessary to alleviate the workload of Their Majesties. (Nathan Shiga)