Is there an Emperor in Japan today ?

According to mythology, in the year 660 BC Japan got its first Emperor, Jimmu, a descendant of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu,. While the myths are not considered historically accurate, it is commonly accepted that emperors have reigned over Japan for more than 1500 years, and that they have all descended from the same imperial family.

Despite the fact that the effective power of the emperors was limited or purely symbolic throughout most of Japan's history, all actual rulers, including regents and the Minamoto, Ashikaga and Tokugawa shoguns respected the emperor and desired the favor of the emperor for their position as rulers of Japan.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the Tokugawa shogunate was overthrown, and Emperor Meiji became the head of state. Under a new constitution, the Emperor held power alone, and nearly absolute. However, the real power later came to rest with the generals and admirals.

After world War II the constitution of 1946 states that the emperor has only a symbolic function. He now mainly participates at ceremonies and diplomatic meetings, but has no effective political power.

In 1989, Emperor Akihito became Japan's 125th emperor. He is married to Empress Michiko, the first empress who did not come from the nobility. Their eldest son is Crown Prince Naruhito.
The imperial family resides in the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.

His Imperial Majesty AKIHITO, the 125th Emperor of Japan, the elder son of the late Emperor Shôwa (Hirohito) and Empress Kojun (Nagako), was born on 23 December 1933 at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. In late 1944, both he and his younger brother, Prince Yoshi (now titled Prince Hitachi) were evacuated to Nikko, to escape the American bombing of Tokyo. Prince Tsugo ascended the throne at the death of Emperor Showa(Hirohito), 7 January 1989,. The government named this new era Heisei, which means the "achievement of peace." He and his wife have 3 children ( 2 boys and 1 girl) and 3 grandchildren

Her Imperial Majesty MICHIKO, Empress of Japan, (Michiko Kogo),, is the eldest daughter of the late Mr. Shoda Hidesburo (1904-1999), former president of Nisshin Flour Milling Co. Miss Shoda Michiko was born in Tokyo on 20 October 1934. She met the then-Crown Prince at a tennis court in Karuizawa in the summer of 1957, after graduating the university. She became crown princess on the day of her wedding, 10 April 1959, thus becoming the first commoner to marry into the Imperial Family. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess broke with centuries of Imperial Court tradition by raising their children, instead of entrusting their care to others. She became empress upon the death of Emperor Shôwa on 7 January 1989. The Empress writes traditional Japanese poems, as well as children's books. In January 1989, the Empress succeeded her mother-in-law, the Empress Kojun,