Temporary Abdication First

The Experts’ Meeting on Emperor’s Abdication released on Monday its “talking points” for the issue, which implicitly recommended temporary legislation only applied to current Emperor Akihito. Akihito does not refuse working to the end of his life, even if demanding discussion of legislation for stepping down in order to bring stability in imperial system. Shinzo Abe administration, however, leads the discussion to temporary measures, bringing instability in constitutionalism.

The meeting raises two options for lightening the burden of Emperor, which is under current legislation and changing rules. In terms of change under current legislation, the meeting is negative on reducing burden of Emperor’s works in mattes of the state, because it mainly includes signing or stamping on documents, which no other person can do. They also conclude that official events have already been reduced as much as possible. They think temporary deputy for matters of the state does not work, because the heaviest burden is official events.

So, the meeting leans on changing rules. They dismiss easier establishment of Regency, because they interprets Regency as only possible when the Emperor loses intentional capability. This interpretation is not written anywhere in the Constitution of Japan. They also raise the reasons for or against abdication, which are leaning on introducing abdication in imperial system.

Then, the meeting leads the discussion to whether abdication should be applied temporary or permanently. On permanent legislation for abdication, they raise ten positive reasons and twenty-three negative reasons. Positive reasons are mainly based on necessity of maintaining legal stability topped by Constitution of Japan, which require compliance of succeeding throne with Imperial House Law. Negative reasons includes that temporary legislation is instantly possible or that it is difficult to make a standard applicable for all the Emperors in the future.

They raised four positive and three negative reasons for temporary legislation. To rule out unintended abdication, the positive reason upholds an opinion that abdication is exceptional. On the other hand, the meeting introduces a viewpoint that abdication will be working for stability of imperial system in the future of Japan that will be highly aged society.

Deputy Chairman of the meeting, Takashi Mikuriya, explained that their talking points have to be read in detail. But, newspapers interpreted the outcome to be paving the way for temporary abdication. That was because the discussion in the meeting was not sufficient in terms of constitutionality.