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.
Ise Grand Shrine
During the Empire of Japan and the establishment of State Shinto, the position of chief priest of the Ise Shrine was fulfilled by the reigning emperor and the Meiji, Taisho and Shōwa Emperors all played the role of chief priest during their reigns.
Since the disestablishment of State Shinto during the Occupation of Japan, the offices of chief priest and most sacred priestess have been held by former members of the imperial family or their descendants. The current chief priest of the shrine is Takatsukasa Naotake, adoptive son of Takatsukasa Kazuko. He succeeded Kitashirakawa Michihisa, a great-grandson of the Meiji Emperor, in 2007. Kitashirakawa Michihisa succeeded his cousin Kuni Kuniaki, the eldest son of former Prince Kuni Asaakira (brother of Empress Kōjun), in 2001. Kitashirakawa's grandmother, Kitashirakawa Fusako, the seventh daughter of the Meiji Emperor, served as most sacred priestess of the Ise Shrine from 1947 until her death in 1974. She was succeeded in that post by Takatsukasa Kazuko, third daughter of the Emperor Shōwa, who held the post until ill health forced her retirement in 1988. Takatsukasa Kazuko was succeeded by her younger sister, Ikeda Atsuko. In 2012, Ikeda was joined by her niece Kuroda Sayako, sole daughter of reigning Emperor Akihito, to serve as a high priestess under her. On 19 June 2017, Kuroda officially replaced her aunt as supreme priestess.