At each time, the Council meeting was headed by the Prime Minister and gave a unanimous consent and approval to the agenda.
In the summer of 2016, the aged Emperor Akihito indicated his desire to retire, leading to special legislation permitting the first abdication in over two centuries.
[1] Princess Yori ceased to be a reserve member of the Council because she married on 10 October 1952 and thus became a commoner.
On 3 September 2003, Prince Mikasa was reelected to his fifteenth consecutive term of office since the Council's establishment.
This time the elections were not held at the Imperial Palace, but in an Agency conference room to reduce energy consumption.