Emperor Akihito of Japan is not your traditional emperor. In light of Akihito’s unconventional remarks hinting at a possible desire to abdicate, we spend this episode discussing the emperor’s place in Japanese government and culture.

Dig Deeper

Take a look at some of our favorite articles that we came across while researching Emperor Akihito:

In Japan, an Emperor Constrained by History and a National Identity Crisis, New York Times

The Emperor and the Prime Minister, New York Times

The Long Goodbye, Economist

* Emperor Akihito: A life in the service of healing and peace, Japan Times