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My apologies for 'clogging' email inboxes, 3 in 2 days, but this Q seems rather intriguing, albeit somewhat abstruse. In early 2017 the current Japanese Emperor, Akihito, considered abdicating, which was said to be unprecendented in Japanese constitutional history. However if one looks at the reigns of Japanese emperors in the 1st millenium CE, there were a very large number of them who abdicated. Not only that, but they often abdicated at extraordinarily eartly ages, even allowing for the shorter human lifespans generally of that time. In fact these Emperors also showed a rather short lifespan, compared e,g, to French and German rulers of the same period. OK some Franco-German rulers died in their 30s, 40s, even 20s, but the mortality rate for Japanese Emperors, even in their 20s, seems higher. (or maybe my data cources are faulty?). http://fooddeserts.org/images/000ChinJapKor.htm http://fooddeserts.org/images/000FraGermany.htm I am still adding data, now for the second millenium CE, but am puzzled at a) the high abdication rate and b) somewhat shorter lifespans, of Japanese rulers of this period. Any Japanese-history / culture experts here who can enlighten, I can't find anything on Google. Dr Hillary J. Shaw Director and Senior Research Consultant Shaw Food Solutions Newport Shropshire TF10 8QE www.fooddeserts.org