Pope John Paul II lead the papacy for 27 years. He was in poor health for the final years before his death at the age of 84. His sucessor Pope Benedict XVI took a surprisingly different approach to health issues. He became the first pope to resign in 600 years.
Yesterday, it was announced that Emperor Akihito of Japan is requesting to resign his throne. At the age of 82, he believes his health will not allow him to perform the duties that the emperorship requires. From a legal perspestive, there is no charter for such a process. Japan will need to ammend the Imperial Household Law in order to allow for this request.
It seems logical that leaders with lifetime appointments should voluntarily step down when their health or mental capacity no longer leave them equipped to manage the duties of their positions. Alternatively, surrogates and advisors are called upon to manage the services of the office when the chosen representative is incapacitated. This weakens the authority of the office and leaves the organization without clear direction. The fear for traditionalists who believe that the leader should stay in office for the duration of their lifetime is that the office will lose its unassailability. An unpopular pope or monarch could be pressured to resign. The lifetime appointment is structured to shelter the leader from having to bend to the political and populist sentiments of the times. In return, the leader is entrusted to provide sage guidance for the benefit of their constitutents.
We have an example in the Supreme Court where justices continue to enjoy unrestricted authority, despite the fact that many justices resign when they no longer believe they can properly serve their judicial responsibilities effectively.
There seems to be little controversy is ammending the Imperial Household Law to allow Emperor Akihito to step down and make way for his son to inherit the crown. Although the Emperor of Japan is a figurehead without real sovereign power, Akhitio’s resignation provides a logical replacement of the anachronistic concept of service till death, with the more practical, service while capable. The king is not dead, long live the king.
