Japan's Emperor plans scaled-down funeral at Imperial Palace

Japan's Imperial Household Agency is reviewing funeral arrangements for Emperor Emeritus Akihito, considering holding the ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo rather than at a public venue, with the number of attendees significantly reduced, Japanese media reported.

The agency is considering holding the general funeral in the palace's most prestigious Pine Chamber, with participants expected to number several thousand, compared to about 10,000 at Emperor Showa's funeral in 1989. The 92-year-old Akihito is in stable health and the discussions reflect long-standing planning rather than any sudden deterioration.

Akihito has expressed a wish to simplify his funeral while respecting tradition and to minimise disruption to public life. The move would also avoid outdoor risks from extreme weather. The emperor had already decided in 2013 to adopt cremation rather than the traditional burial, and to build a smaller mausoleum.

Akihito ascended the throne in 1989 and became Japan's first emperor to abdicate in about 200 years in 2019.

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