Japanese govt to submit bill on emperor's abdication Jan 2017

TOKYO. KAZINFORM Japanese government will likely submit the draft law on abdication of Emperor Akihito to the next ordinary Diet session in early 2017, Kyodo reported citing Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga as saying today.

“Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga,” said Yoshihide Suga at a meeting of the lower house committee.

The bill would be based on the findings of an expert panel set up last month to discuss alleviating the burden on the 82-year-old emperor, who released a video message in August in which he expressed concern that advanced age could stop him fulfilling his duties.