MOSCOW (Sputnik) — According to the Kyodo news agency, the decision was approved by the panel after holding nine meetings. The experts stressed that there should be a "flexible" approach to such a sensitive issue every time it would arise in the future.
The issue is set to be discussed now by the Japanese government, which could then submit a bill making the abdication possible, as current laws prohibit abdication before an emperor's death.
The 82-year-old emperor hinted at his readiness to renounce the throne in a rare video message to the public in August, expressing his concern of becoming unable to fulfill official duties due to his age.
Akihito ascended to the Japanese throne in 1989 after Emperor Hirohito's death. According to the Japanese Constitution, emperor has a merely ceremonial role, being a symbol of the nation and of national unity.
