Japan's Emperor Akihito has thanked his people for their support and expressed hope for a peaceful future as his three-decade reign drew to a close. It is the first time the country's head of the state has abdicated in 200 years, opening the way for his son to take on the role. The man who had been the symbolic leader of his country since 1989 said he was standing down in a ceremony at the Imperial Palace's Matsu no ma, or Hall of Pine, in Tokyo. The ceremony on Tuesday local time was arranged to mark the official end of the 85-year-old's 30-year reign.
