In Article 10 of the Imperial Household Law (enacted in 1889), it was specified that, 'upon the demise of the Emperor, his heir will succeed to the throne and to the sacred treasures'; this prohibited abdication by the Emperor will still alive, and the succession of the Imperial Throne was therefore only allowed upon the Emperor's death.
1889年に制定された皇室典範第10条「天皇崩スルトキハ皇嗣即チ践祚シ祖宗ノ神器ヲ承ク」によって天皇の譲位は禁止され、天皇の死去によってのみ皇位の継承がおこなわれることが規定された。