Emperor of Japan
The current Emperor on the throne is typically referred to as "Tennō Heika" (, "His (Imperial) Majesty the Emperor"), "Kinjō Heika" (, "His Current Majesty") or simply "Tennō", when speaking Japanese. The current Emperor will be renamed "Daijō Tennō" (, Retired Emperor), often shortened to "Jōkō" (), upon his planned retirement on 30 April 2019, and renamed "Heisei Tennō" () after his death and will then be referred to exclusively by that name in Japanese. In Japanese culture, it is considered a major faux pas to refer to a living Emperor by his posthumous name, although the posthumous name is the same as the era, which is used in official documents.
Prince Hisahito of Akishino
Prince Hisahito is the only son and youngest child of Fumihito, Prince Akishino, and Kiko, Princess Akishino. He has two older sisters, Princess Mako of Akishino and Princess Kako of Akishino. He was first seen in public on 15 September 2006, outside Aiiku Hospital.
Hisahito was the first male child born to the Imperial House of Japan since his father in 1965. In January 2007, the Prime Minister of Japan, Shinzō Abe, announced that he would drop an earlier proposal to alter the Imperial Household Law so as to allow females to inherit the throne. The proposal had been made on the basis of the fact that the two sons of Emperor Akihito had, at the time, no sons of their own. Given Hisahito's birth, it now seems increasingly unlikely that the laws will be changed to allow Hisahito's cousin, Princess Aiko, the daughter and only child of the heir apparent to the throne, Crown Prince Naruhito, to become a reigning Empress and thus end the Japanese succession controversy. The supporters of changes criticized the current law as it placed a burden on the few aging males old enough to perform royal duties as females left the family.