Upon his accession to the Chrysanthemum Throne following his father’s abdication on 1 May 2019, His Majesty Naruhito (born 23 February 1960) has led the Reiwa Era as the 126th monarch, according to Japan’s traditional order of succession.

The elder son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko leads a time of “beautiful harmony,” the meaning of the word “Reiwa.”

He was born during the reign of his paternal grandfather, Emperor Shòwa, and became heir apparent following his father’s accession in 1989. He was formally invested as Crown Prince of Japan in 1991.

In June 1993, he married diplomat Owada Masako. They have one daughter: Aiko.

Known as the first Japanese emperor to have studied abroad, Emperor Naruhito is interested in issues associated with water and waterways, reports say.

“He also described water as ‘a cross-cutting issue’ that is connected to multiple issues listed among the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals,” Japan Times says.