Japan's parliament has passed into law a historic bill that enables Emperor Akihito to become the first Japanese monarch to abdicate in 200 years.
His words were widely interpreted as indicating his desire to relinquish the throne and the government entrusted an advisory panel to study the abdication issue the following month.
According to the Associated Press, "Media reports have said officials are considering Akihito's abdication at the end of 2018 when Akihito turns 85 and marks 30 years on the throne".
Japan uses both the Western year and nengo for its calendar, and the current nengo year is Heisei 29, referring to the 29th year of the era of Emperor Akihito.
Akihito, 83, who has had heart surgery and undergone treatment for prostate cancer, in a rare television address last August, said that he feared age might make it hard for him to continue to fulfil his duties.
"A stable succession of the Imperial throne is a momentous issue. The government will advance debate with respect for the resolution".
Parliament has called on the government to "consider" plans to allow female members to stay in the royal family even after their marriage with commoners.
Historian Hideya Kawanishi, an associate professor with Kobe College who is an expert on imperial family matters, told The Straits Times: "To them, the status of a man will always be higher than that of a woman, and so they see it as a must to strenuously avoid a woman acting as the country's symbol".
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After Princess Mako, 25, gets married to paralegal Kei Komuro, 25, the total number of imperial family members will fall to 18. Images of the informally dressed couple kneeling down to talk with survivors at evacuation centers were said to have helped bring the secluded imperial family closer to the public.
Abe is reportedly against the measure, however, and "strongly prefers" the current system, his aide said, as cited by the Japan Times. But for friends and family of a young woman who lost her life in a tragic accident, it means the world.
Emperor Akihito's funeral ceremony and tomb will be equivalent in status to those of past emperors, the legislation said, adding that the public holiday to mark the emperor's birthday, now observed on December 23, will be moved to February 23, the birthday of the crown prince.
Experts also say that the Imperial system will be extremely unstable in the long term without major reforms.
The government is yet to set a date for the abdication, but the bill says it must take place within three years of the law coming into effect. The royal male line in Japan is unbroken, records show, for at least 14 centuries.
During Wednesday's Upper House session, independent lawmaker and former Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa argued that it would be a "very effective" reform to revive the Imperial status of those families. It cleared the more powerful lower house last week.
Under the law enacted Friday, his abdication must take place within three years.
Information from Kyodo added.
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