Records of heads of state
Officially, the current Emperor of Japan, Akihito is the 125th in line from the first emperor Jimmu, who is variously believed to have reigned in the 1st or 7th century BC. The earliest documentary evidence is only for the 29th emperor, Kinmei (AD 509–571); however, this is sufficient such that even the most conservative of estimates still places the Japanese imperial family as among the oldest lines in the world today.
Enthronement
The Emperor of Japan attends an enthronement ceremony soon after his accession; the last such ritual was held in 1990 for the current sovereign, Akihito. The Imperial Regalia consist of a sword, known as "Kusanagi", a jewel, known as "Yasakani no magatama", and a mirror, called "Yata no Kagami". Unlike most other monarchies, Japan has no crown for its ruler.