The government committee preparing rituals related to Emperor Akihito's abdication announced Tuesday that a ceremony to be held on April 30, 2019, the day he steps down, will be a state occasion.The panel headed by Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga also agreed to stage a ceremony celebrating 30 years of the emperor's reign on Feb. 24 next year ahead of his relinquishment of the throne -- the first by a Japanese monarch in more than 200 years. His elder son Crown Prince Naruhito is set to ascend the throne on May 1, 2019.The committee also decided to hold an event in 2020 to commemorate…READ FULL ARTICLE