Japan's Emperor Akihito (left) delivers his speech as Empress Michiko (2nd left) stands next to him during the abdication ceremony at the Matsu-no-Ma state room in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on April 30, 2019. AFP PHOTO
Yet, through his dogged outreach to his subjects in Japan, and his expressions of remorse to people in parts of Asia where his father's troops once rampaged, he has redefined the role of emperor and, in the process, made himself much more popular than any elected politician.