Akihito

Birth Name: Akihito, Prince Tsugu

Place of Birth: Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan (now Chiyoda ward, Tokyo, Japan)

Date of Birth: 23 December, 1933

Ethnicity: Japanese

Akihito is the 125th Emperor of Japan, who reigned from 7 January, 1989 to 30 April, 2019. He was enthroned on 12 November, 1990.

He is the son of Hirohito, who was Emperor of Japan, from 25 December, 1926 to 7 January, 1989; and of Princess Nagako. He is married to Empress Michiko (Michiko Shōda), with whom he has three children, including Naruhito, who has been Emperor of Japan, since 1 May, 2019. He is the paternal grandfather of Aiko, Princess Toshi. Akihito is a Shinto.

Akihito’s patrilineal ancestry can be traced to his 50th great-grandfather, Emperor Keitai (c. 450–534). However, descent prior to Keitai is unclear to modern historians, but is traditionally traced back patrilineally to Emperor Jimmu.

Akihito’s paternal grandfather was Yoshihito, Emperor Taishō (the son of Mutsuhito, Emperor Meiji, and of Lady Naruko Yanagihara). Yoshihito was born at Tōgū Palace, Akasaka, Tokyo City, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan, and was Emperor of Japan, from 30 July, 1912 to 25 December, 1926. Mutsuhito was Emperor of Japan, from 3 February, 1867 to 30 July, 1912, and was the son of Osahito, Emperor Kōmei, who was Emperor of Japan, from 10 March, 1846 to 30 January, 1867; and of Lady Yoshiko Nakayama. Naruko was the daughter of Count Takamitsu Yanagihara and Lady Utano Hasegawa. Takamitsu was an imperial chamberlain, who held the rank of chūnagon in the imperial household, and was later appointed dainagon.

Akihito’s paternal grandmother was Lady Sadako Kujō (the daughter of Prince Kujō Michitaka, of the Fujiwara Clan, and of Lady Ikuko Noma). Sadako was born in Nishikichō, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan. Michitaka was the son of Prince Kujō Hisatada, Regent of Japan, who was Minister of the Left, from 1867 to 1869, and Head of Kujō family, from 1859 to 1906; and of Lady Tsuneko Karahashi. Ikuko was the daughter of Yorioki Noma and Lady Kairi Yamokushi.

Akihito’s maternal grandfather was Kuniyoshi, 2nd Imperial Prince Kuni (the son of Asahiko, 1st Imperial Prince Kuni, and of Lady Makiko Izumi). Kuniyoshi was born in Kyoto, Japan. Asahiko was the son of Prince Fushimi Kuniie and Lady Nobuko Toriikōji. Makiko was the daughter of Sir Toshimasu Izumitei and Lady Mako Yatoshi.

Akihito’s maternal grandmother was Princess Chikako Shimazu (the daughter of Prince Shimazu Tadayoshi and Lady Sumako Yamazaki). Tadayoshi was a Japanese daimyō of the late Edo period, who ruled the Satsuma Domain as its 12th and last daimyō; he was the son of Prince Shimazu Hisamitsu, a samurai of the late Edo period; and of Lady Chimoko Shimazu, of Echizen-Shimazu.