Emperor Akihito was the first Japanese royal to marry a commoner. He was the first Japanese emperor to visit China, Thailand and the Philippines.

And today, he becomes Japan's first royal in 200 years to abdicate to give up his throne. The role of emperor is symbolic in Japan. The decision-making power lies in the hands of its elected politicians.

But as that symbol of national unity, Emperor Akihito has been popular, and many Japanese are sad to see him step down. In a rare televised address in 2016, the emperor said he was worried that his age and fitness level would make it harder for him to carry out his duties as he had until then.

The next year, Japan's parliament passed the law that allowed him to abdicate if he wanted to. And on Wednesday, his son, Crown Prince Naruhito will become the 126th emperor to ascend to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne, the name given both to the emperor's position and to his seat used during the coronation ceremony.

日本明仁天皇是首个与平民结婚的日本皇室成员。他也是首个访问中国、泰国和菲律宾的日本天皇。

而今天，他成为200年来首个退位的日本天皇。天皇是日本的象征性国家元首。决策权掌握在当选的政治官员手中。

但是作为国家团结的象征，明仁天皇一直备受欢迎，许多日本人看到他退位感到很难过。2016年，明仁天皇在罕见的电视演讲中表示，他担心他的年龄和健康状况很难再继续履行他的职责。

第二年，日本国会通过了一项法律，允许明仁天皇退位。周三，他的儿子德仁皇太子将继承皇位，成为日本第126代天皇，Chrysanthemum Throne既指天皇皇位，也指新一代天皇在加冕典礼时要坐的宝座

重点讲解：

1. give up 放弃；戒除；

She gave up her job to join her husband's campaign.

她辞去工作，加入到丈夫的宣传活动中。

2. step down 辞职；下台；让位；

He has decided that he doesn't want to embarrass the movement and will therefore step down.

他已拿定主意：他不想令运动陷入困窘的境地，因此决心辞职。

3. carry out 实施；执行；实行；

The Duke was not well enough to carry out such an exacting task.

公爵身体不太好，无法执行那么艰巨的任务。

4. ascend to 升迁；升职；(君主)登基,即位；

In the edict, the dying emperor designated his second son to ascend to the throne.

皇帝在遗诏中指明要第二个儿子继位。