Emperor Akihito took over the throne when his father, Emperor Hirohito, passed away in 1989. Emperor Hirohito went through the experience of his position being transformed from that of the ruler of a nation to the symbol of the nation. The life of Emperor Akihito, who grew up as Japan rebuilt, runs parallel with the postwar history of Japan transforming from an imperial state with colonial ambition to a war-defeated country that reconstructed itself by putting a priority on economic development and forgoing military might.
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