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Emperor Akihito (Heisei Tenno) is the 125th emperor of Japan. Like all previous emperors, including six ruling empresses, Emperor Akihito's ancestry can be traced directly back to Jimmu (Jimmu Tenno), the first emperor of Japan, who according to legend, ruled from 660 to 585 BC. Jimmu is said to be a direct descendent of the sun goddess Amaterasu. While most historians do not accept the legendary account of Jimmu as factual, the imperial family can be historically traced back as far as Emperor Bidatsu (Bidatsu Tenno), the 15th emperor of Japan, who ruled from 572 to 585 AD.
