Asia

Japanese Emperor Advised to Rest, Cancels Duties After Feeling Dizzy

Last year, the 84-year-old said he would abdicate the Chrysanthemum Throne in April 2019, citing health concerns.
Sputnik

According to the Imperial Household Agency, Japanese Emperor Akihito, 84, has canceled or postponed his public duties on Monday.

Empress Michiko reportedly called a palace doctor earlier in the day after she found the emperor suffering from excessive sweating. The monarch felt dizzy and nauseous due to cerebral anemia caused by insufficient blood circulation to his brain.

READ MORE: Japanese Emperor Akihito to Abdicate in April 2019

The emperor cancelled or postponed his Monday engagements after the doctor had advised him to rest at the Imperial Palace, adding he didn't have a fever.

Japan’s Emperor Akihito Worried by Ability to Fulfill Duties in Future

Emperor Akihito announced in December 2017 that he would step down on April 30, 2019, suggesting that his age and health would affect his ability to perform his duties. This would become the first abdication by a Japanese monarch in nearly two centuries.

Akihito's stepping down will mark the end of the Heisei imperial era, which started in 1989 when he took over the throne. The emperor will be immediately succeeded by his son, Crown Prince Naruhito.

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