Even before ascending the throne of Japan, Akihito bucked tradition. When he was 25, the then crown prince married Michiko Shoda, a commoner—marking the first time that an heir to the Japanese throne had wed outside the court nobility. In another unorthodox move, he and his wife chose to raise their children at home. Since Akihito became emperor in 1989, he has persisted in his efforts to humanize and modernize the royal family. What else has he done to try and change the royal family’s image? Discuss