General Secretary and President sends letter to Japanese Emperor Akihito

Emperor Akihito (right) leaves the Kashikodokoro Imperial Shrine after a ritual during his abdication ceremony, in Tokyo on April 30. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

In the letter, General Secretary and President Nguyen Phu Trong thanked Emperor Akihito for his good feelings towards the country and people of Vietnam, and highly appreciated the historical significance of the Japanese Emperor's first visit to Vietnam in 2017, when Emperor Akihito was still in power.

On the afternoon of April 30, Emperor Akihito abdicated to give the throne to his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, in a solemn ceremony held at the Imperial Palace.

This is the first emperor to actively abdicate in more than 200 years in Japan.

Born on December 23, 1933, Emperor Akihito is the eldest son of Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun.

He ascended the throne in January 1989 after his father passed away. Since his ascension to the throne, Emperor Akihito has successfully fulfilled his mission as “the symbol of the state and the unity of the people” as stipulated in the Japanese Constitution.

During his 30-year reign, Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko visited all 47 provinces and cities in Japan to learn about the lives of local people.

After major disasters, the Emperor and Empress always try to arrive as quickly as possible in areas devastated by natural disasters to offer condolences to the families of the victims, kindly visit and comfort the survivors, and encourage the rescue forces.

In addition, the Emperor and Empress have made official visits to 28 countries around the world, including an official visit to Vietnam in March 2017.

Through overseas visits and meetings with royal families and heads of state, the Emperor and Empress have contributed significantly to strengthening friendly relations between Japan and countries around the world.

In August 2016, in a rare televised address, Emperor Akihito expressed his desire to hand over his responsibilities because he feared that his advanced age and declining health might make it difficult for him to fully perform his duties as the symbol of the state as he had done until then.

Nearly a year later, in June 2017, the Japanese Parliament passed a one-time bill allowing Emperor Akihito to abdicate.

As expected, Crown Prince Naruhito will officially ascend the throne on May 1, with the era name Reiwa./.