Emperors of Japan: the history of the ruling houses of the Land of the Rising Sun. Sumeragi Imperial Dynasty of Japan

The Emperor of Japan is the head of state and symbol of the unity of the entire Japanese nation. In accordance with the preserved ancient sources, all Japanese emperors are connected by blood ties, as they are descendants of one dynasty directly related to the sun goddess Amaterasu. The title of the emperor of Japan is Tenno, which has Chinese roots and literally translates as "heavenly master". Jimmu is the first emperor of Japan, who began his reign in 660 AD. In our time, the reigning emperor is Akihito, who took office on January 7, 1989.

imperial power

The power of the tenno in Japan has been rather limited and insignificant for a long time. Nowadays, its boundaries are enshrined in the constitution. The emperor can deal with matters of national importance only on the condition that the government gives its consent to this. The head of the government is also chosen not by the emperor, but by the parliament, which presents a candidate for the post of chairman to the head of state, and the ruler must give his consent to the appointment. The Chief Justice is appointed on the same principle. Tennu is also a high priest whose duties include conducting various rituals and ceremonies, mainly to increase the harvest. He should also hold receptions with foreign guests and reward people. With the consent of the emperor, the prime minister may deputize for him in the performance of some of his functions. It is worth highlighting such a feature that in Japan the birthday of the ruling tennu is on the same level with other national holidays.

Mottos of the Japanese Emperors

The periods of reign of Japanese emperors are usually divided in accordance with the mottos that they establish at the time of the beginning of their reign. For example, the emperor of Japan now bears the reins of government under the motto "Heisei", which is translated into Russian as "Peace and tranquility." This tradition originated in Japan under the influence of Chinese culture, and the first emperor to "implement" it was Emperor Kotoku.

During the reign of one emperor, there could be several mottos that replace each other as a result of the troubles taking place in the state. If any misfortune befell the country, then the people believed that the gods did not like the current motto. Tennu could also change the motto of the board in honor of an important or happy event that happened in his life. For example, during the 21 years of the reign of Godaigo tennu, eight mottos were replaced in the country.

During the Meiji period, a law was established according to which the emperor, during his reign, could give only one motto, which later avoided problems with the traditional Japanese chronology.

Posthumous names of emperors

Tenno, like all members of their family, did not have surnames, and their lifelong names are under the strictest ban and cannot be voiced in the media in Japanese. At the time of the death of the emperor, he was given a posthumous name, which was to some extent reflect the main achievements during the reign.

The temple name system in Japan began in the 7th century and was also adopted in China. Initially, the emperors were given too long posthumous names in Japanese, but later it was decided to write them in Chinese and in a shorter version. As a result of this, all emperors who had died earlier were renamed in a new way retroactively.

In the Meiji period, they made such a decision, according to which the posthumous names for emperors began to be selected based on the motto established during his reign.

Surprisingly, the emperor of Japan is not actually the head of state. Its status is the representation of the Land of the Rising Sun at meetings, on trips abroad, on public holidays and in other ceremonies. A reasonable question arises: "Who controls Japan?" The answer is simple. According to the Constitution, all the reins of government of the country are in the hands of the Prime Minister. It is he who makes all the important decisions for the state and signs various international agreements. But has it always been like this?

The history of the emergence and development of the title

Like so much in Japanese culture and tradition, the title of emperor was borrowed from neighboring China. In the Taoist religion, there was a term "Tianhuang". This was the name of the North Star, which was considered the "Master of the sky." But as a title, this term was not used by the Chinese emperors.

In ancient Japan, at first the rulers were called by the terms "Sumera mikoto" or "Suberogi", which translated as "Ruling master". The second meaning of the word "mikoto" was "deity".

The modern title of the emperor, pronounced by the Japanese as "Tenno" (天皇), that is, "Master of the Sky", was first used in the Land of the Rising Sun by Prince Regent Shotoku. It became the main term for addressing the rulers of the state. But other words were also used, the purpose of which was to emphasize and strengthen the divine nature of emperors in the eyes of subjects. These terms included: akitsu-mikami (translated as "the incarnation of a deity") and arahito-gami (that is, "man-God") and many other ancient Japanese words ("his reigning highness", "first", "great master "). They first received their use as appeals to emperors at the end of the 7th century.

Also, the term "hi-no-miko" was used as the title of the rulers. Which means "Son of the Sun" in translation. It has been preserved since the time of the Shinto religion, that is, even before the advent of Taoism, Buddhism and Christianity in Japan. It is believed that the first emperor of the Land of the Rising Sun was the great-great-grandson of Amaterasu, one of the supreme deities of Shinto. According to the religious provisions of Shintoism, it illuminates the heavens. That is, this is the goddess of the Sun, who has great respect and reverence among believers, and now is identical to the Buddha. According to statistics from the Ministry of Culture and Science of Japan, Shinto is still the most popular religion among the population of the Land of the Rising Sun.

In addition, titles applied to the emperors of China ("master of the Middle Kingdom", "southern-faced", "son of Heaven", "master of a myriad of chariots"), as well as terms from Buddhism ("holy master", "golden wheel", " lord of the ten virtues"), since historically the emperors in every possible way helped the introduction and development of this religious trend in Japan.

Such a variety of words-addresses is due to the emergence of the tradition of prohibiting the pronunciation of the titles and names of emperors aloud. Which is directly related to the beliefs about the possibility of the evil eye of the ruler by evil spirits and the like, taken from Japanese mythology. Such fears led to the fact that emperors were often called association words with the locations of their residences: “palace” (in Japanese “shingi”), “gate” (“mikado”), “chambers” (“uchi”) and others. .

An interesting fact is that the names of monarchs during their lifetime in the Land of the Rising Sun are still banned and do not appear in any of the official documents in Japanese. And after death, they are given double names, one of them is "Tenno", that is, the title, and the second indicates the merits of the deceased (for example, "Emperor of Enlightened Rule" or "Emperor Divine Warrior"). In all other countries of the world, Japanese rulers are called by their birth names, adding the titles "His Majesty" and "His Majesty the Emperor."

The meanings of the listed titles emphasize and help to understand the fundamental nature and "divinity" of the origin of the emperors of Japan. The imperial status of the high priest increased, and thanks to the conduct of rituals and holidays, they were identified with God. Thus, both their methods of government and all the decisions made were made in the Divine name and had to be accepted and carried out unquestioningly.

After the comprehensive measures taken by Emperor Meiji to introduce political, economic and a number of other changes to the legislation, political system and many areas of life of the Japanese, it was decided that from 1868, 2 terms would be used for official relations with other countries to refer to the Japanese emperor - Tenno and Cats. But since 1936, only one official title "Tenno" has remained for use in international documents in Japanese, which has the meaning "Emperor" in all Western countries.

Legends of the Emperors of Japan

There is an ancient Shinto legend about the origin of Japanese emperors. It says that one of the supreme deities Amaterasu sent her grandson Ninigi to Earth. He was to become the ruler of the islands of Japan, which had previously been created by the parents of the sun goddess. Before the long journey, Amaterasu gave her grandson three magical items: a necklace of precious stones, a bronze mirror, and a sword. They were needed by Ninigi to ease her way out of the sky.

Descending to the island of Kyushu, the prince brought with him many of the gods still revered, as well as the ancestors of some of the oldest Japanese families. Subsequently, many of these clans sacredly honored and worshiped each of their god-ancestor.

Goddess Amaterasu

Already on Earth, Ninigi married and had children. Jimmu became the first emperor of Japan on Earth. This is the grandson of Ninigi, to whom the latter transferred his regalia. It is generally accepted among the Japanese that Jimmu ruled from 660 BC. But in official documents, the reign of the emperor was first noted only at the beginning of the 5th century AD, which further strengthens the "divineness" of the monarch in the eyes of the Japanese.

Emperor Jimmu

Prince Ninigi is considered the god of the germination and harvest of rice, an important food of the Japanese for thousands of years, as evidenced by the annual festival of the first rice held in the palace of the emperors and the rituals of worshiping the grandson Amaterasu.

To date, the three regalia presented by the Sun Goddess Ninigi are considered symbols of the Japanese emperors. But none of the Japanese subjects have ever seen these items, as they were constantly kept by the priests. Yes, and the emperor could personally see them only at the time of the procedure for ascension to the throne.

However, in July 1945, when a threat of surrender arose over Japan, and the emperor understood that the country would not be able to resist the influence of America, an order was given to the priests to save the regalia at the cost of their lives. Today, no one knows exactly where the symbols of imperial power are kept. But some historians suggest that the precious jasper necklace is kept in the imperial palace in the current capital of Japan, the sword is hidden somewhere in Nagoya, and the bronze mirror is in the main Shinto shrine of Japan, the Ise-Jingu temple dedicated to the goddess Amaterasu.

And according to one of the unofficial versions, all three original regalia were lost during the legendary battle of the Minamoto and Taira clans, and subsequently replaced by copies.

Brief overview of the history of imperial power

The country underwent many unexpected changes in the ruling circles - at first the emperors led the state, then the regents, who later replaced the totalitarian regime of the shogunate, and then the power of the monarchs resumed again. Fate was not always favorable to the Japanese emperors. One of the turning points also came in 1945, the period after the defeat of Japan in World War II.

So, in the same year, Shinto ceases to be the state religion. In 1946, the reigning Emperor Hirohito renounced his divine lineage. In 1947, the new Constitution of Japan was adopted, according to which the emperor was declared a symbol of the state and the unity of the nation, now he can participate in various ceremonies (give various awards, receive ambassadors), but he must coordinate all his actions with the Cabinet of Ministers. Also, the monarch is deprived of all the functions of governing the state and does not have the right to interfere in the leadership of the country by the prime minister. In addition, imperial property can be inherited only with the consent of Parliament.

In the same 1947, a new law was signed, according to which the monarch remains the ruler until the end of his days. The heir is chosen from among his relatives in the male line.

In total, the history of Japan has 125 emperors.

Famous Emperors of Japan

Here is a list of some of the famous Japanese rulers:

1. Jimmu - great-great-grandson of Amaterasu, the first emperor of Japan, contributed to the migration of Japanese tribes and the creation of their union, allegedly founded the Japanese state;
2. Suizei is the first of the "eight unregistered emperors" about whom nothing is known except their names and genealogy, and not a single legend has been composed;
3. Sujin - expanded the possessions of Yamato and established diplomatic relations with the rulers of the South Korean territories;
4. Ojin - actively established foreign economic and political relations with Korea.
5. Nintoku - under his personal control and leadership, the first engineering structure in Japan was created - protective ramparts on the Kawachi plain;
6. Suiko - during his reign, Buddhism was officially recognized in the country;
7. Tenji - was a poet;
8. Kanmu - moved the capital from Nara to Kyoto, which was the beginning of the Heian period;
9. Yozei - a poet of the waka genre, is also known for the fact that he stayed on the throne for only 8 years, after which he was overthrown by his brother due to mental illness, cruelty and tyranny;
10. Sutoku - Hogan unleashed the turmoil;
11. Meiji - changed the name of the city of Edo to Tokyo and made it the capital of the country. Also known for his reforms that restored the absolute power of the monarchy.
12. Hirohito - many countries believe that he is responsible for starting World War II. He renounced his divine origin in order to save Japan from complete occupation by the Americans.

Emperor of Japan. Modernity

Today, the head of state is His Majesty Akihito. He is famous for the fact that he broke the centuries-old tradition of marriage, according to which Japanese emperors married girls from the most noble families. The real empress, whose name is Michiko Shoda, does not have an aristocratic origin, but is the daughter of the head of a large flour milling company. But the Imperial Household Council agreed with Akihito's choice, and the wedding took place on April 10, 1959.

Naruhito, the eldest son of the current Emperor of Japan, is declared Crown Prince.

Today, despite the very small powers of the emperor, the people treat their "Tenno" with respect and reverence. One of the proofs of this can be considered the fact that the Emperor's birthday is a national holiday and has been celebrated in Japan on December 23 since 1989. It is on this day and on January 2 that the gates of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo open annually, which is closed to visitors the rest of the time. On his birthday, the emperor and his wife appear on the balcony, where for several minutes they greet the huge crowd of subjects that have gathered.

The history of the monarchy in Japan is more than 2 thousand years. This article tells about the history of the appearance of the title of Emperor of Japan, the legends associated with the ruling house, about the modern functions of the head of state.

If you are reading this article, then perhaps you dream of going to Japan someday. You may have even chosen the time and place. But did you know that most of the population of the Land of the Rising Sun does not speak English? What would you say to the Emperor of Japan if you see him live?(just kidding) To make your trip memorable, I would suggest learning at least the basics of Japanese. You know, the Japanese are very happy when foreigners say even the simplest phrases to them!

How to learn Japanese? To begin with, I suggest that you sign up for our.

Sometimes from people who are not too experienced in world politics, one can hear a logical question: “Does Japan have a president? And if so, why don't we know anything about it?

So, what is the name of the 2016 President of Japan? To find out the answer, you need to understand the political structure of the island state. At first glance, the system seems complicated, but in fact it is similar to that used in a number of other countries.

Yes, you will not find a list of Japanese presidents anywhere. Such a position is simply not provided for by the state system of this eastern country. And no wonder: Japan is a monarchy, albeit a constitutional one. The role of "president" of Japan is now played by the prime minister, but formally the head of state is the emperor.

Does the Japanese Emperor have power?

Yes and no. The supreme ruler performs roughly the same functions as the Queen of Great Britain, that is, she is present at official events and holidays. Also, his task is to sign documents, laws and treaties that are prepared by the government and the cabinet of ministers.

In some way, the emperor is still the "president" of Japan. For example, he is vested with the power to convene parliament or dissolve the lower house. It depends on him when the parliamentary elections will be held. The Supreme Ruler confirms the appointment of the Prime Minister. Also, it is to him that the minister is obliged to submit his resignation. The emperor sends ambassadors to different countries and receives envoys from other states. In the constitution of the Land of the Rising Sun, the emperor is called "a symbol of the state and the unity of the nation." He does not have real government functions.

Who owns the real power?

The real "president" of Japan can be called the prime minister. He is appointed by the emperor by decision of Parliament. This person is responsible for appointing the cabinet and chief judge.

The Japanese strictly observe the constitution, which was adopted in the middle of the 20th century. Since then, no amendments have been made to it. According to the current regulations, in order to amend the country's basic law, the appropriate decision must be made by 60% of the members of the two chambers of parliament. After that, a nationwide referendum begins, at which the issue is considered. The most "sore" topic for the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun is Article 9 of the Constitution. According to it, the country refuses to maintain an army and wage wars. Sometimes voices are heard in favor of initiating the cancellation of the article, but so far they have not led to anything serious.

Principle of decentralization

Japanese officials have quite a lot of power. To revise the current bill or introduce a new one, they do not need to apply to the "President of Japan", that is, the emperor. It is enough to send the draft for consideration to the government, after which it is sent to the parliament.

Parliament consists of two chambers: representatives (lower) and councilors (upper). The term of office for a member of the House of Representatives is four years (or less if dissolved). Councilors are elected for six years. Representatives of different parties are present in the chambers. The most numerous parties assume leadership functions.

Onsite management

Japan is made up of 47 prefectures. Such a strong “fragmentation” of a relatively small area requires a developed system of local self-government. Each village, each town, city or prefecture has its own supervisory authorities. Elections are held every four years. The main task of local government representatives is to convene meetings to consider important issues. The prime minister may remove the prefect from office. The prefect, in turn, has the right to remove the mayor or the village headman. Executive power is assumed by special commissions, which are elected at meetings.

Supreme Court

According to the constitution, the judiciary of the state is independent. The chief judge is appointed by the emperor (but elected by representatives of the Cabinet). This body includes another 14 judges, who are appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers. Elections are held every 10 years. The task of judges is to decide whether the actions of the authorities comply with the constitution and other laws of the country.

Japan has one of the most powerful economies on the planet, it is a member of many international organizations. The main partners are the Republic of Korea and the USA. Relations with Russia are relatively tense due to territorial issues (Kuril Islands).

During one reign, several mottos could change. Usually the motto of the government changed as a result of the troubles that befell the state. Then it was believed that this motto is objectionable to the gods. The emperor could also change the motto of the reign to mark some important event in his life. So, during the reign of the emperor Godaigo Changed 8 mottos in 21 years. Accordingly, each time the reckoning began anew.

During the Meiji Restoration, it was decided to give only one motto to the years of the reign of the emperor, in order to avoid confusion in the calendar.

Posthumous names

After the death of the emperor, he is given a posthumous name ( okurina), which should briefly characterize his reign. It is under their posthumous names that the emperors are known in history.

Like the system of mottoes, the system of posthumous names was borrowed in the 7th century from China. Initially, posthumous names were long and Japanese, but then it was decided to make them short and Chinese, in the manner of the mottos of the board. All previous emperors were given posthumous names retroactively.

During the Meiji Restoration, it was decided to consider the motto of his reign as the posthumous name of the emperor.

Emperor of Japan

List of emperors

For reasons of convenience, this table lists the emperors in reverse chronological order.

Emperor Hirohito (裕仁 Japanese; 1901–1989) was the 124th Emperor of Japan, who reigned from December 25, 1926 to January 7, 198.

emperor as a priest

With regard to its political system, Japan occupies a very special place in East Asia. In other states of the region, monarchies ceased to exist at the beginning of the 20th century, and for many decades no one has been seriously talking about their revival. There are practically no monarchists in China, Korea, Vietnam - but in Japan there are almost no Republicans.

This is connected not only and not so much with differences in the political history of these countries, but with differences in the concept of monarchy adopted there. In all other countries of the Far East, the ideological basis of the monarchy was the theory of the “Mandate of Heaven” developed by Mencius, according to which the right to power was given to each successive dynasty temporarily and conditionally. Sooner or later, this right was taken away - as a punishment for the accumulated mistakes and immoral acts of the rulers.

Despite the fact that the Japanese monarchy, in its external, ritual design, had a lot in common with the Chinese (in fact, it copied it), in Japan the doctrine of the "Heavenly Mandate" was not recognized. There was even a belief that the books of Mencius could not be imported into Japan, because such an attempt would provoke the wrath of the gods protecting Japan and the ship carrying ungodly writings would sink. Apparently, sometimes the gods were still merciful, and some ships sailed to Japan - where else would the texts of Mencius appear there? However, the works of this philosopher and his followers, who were generally highly valued in Japan (in parts not related to the problems of the legitimacy of the monarchy), did not affect the Japanese concept of monarchical power in any way.

In the concept of Mencius, the monarch is nothing more than a manager chosen by Heaven to arrange earthly affairs for the greater happiness of his subjects. The well-being of the people and the state is his highest goal, and he (and his descendants) remain on the throne insofar as they fulfill this goal. In due time, they will be removed and replaced by more deserving candidates at the moment. In fact, the Confucian monarch is only a kind of first official appointed to this position by higher powers and has a limited right to transfer power by inheritance. In the Japanese concept, the imperial power is unchanging and established once and for all by the will of the gods. The ruling family was chosen by the gods in time immemorial - strictly speaking, the emperors themselves were the descendants of the gods and the gods.

The first and main feature of the Japanese monarchy is its immutability and fundamental irremovability. The official version of the history of the monarchy, which existed from time immemorial until 1945, said that the dynasty was founded in 660 BC. the goddess Amaterasu, who personally gave her grandson Jimmu the imperial regalia (mirror, sword, and jasper). Those who do not really believe in the reality of the sun goddess Amaterasu have tried and are trying to find the more earthly roots of the Yamato dynasty. These searches are most likely hopeless - the history of the family really goes back to ancient times. When almost one and a half thousand years ago, in the VII century. AD, the first Japanese chronicles were compiled, their authors had no memory of those times when the Yamato clan did not rule the Japanese tribes. Even then it seemed that this clan existed and always ruled. Probably, its history began at the time when the proto-Japanese tribes moved to Japan through Korea, that is, at the very beginning of our era. There are some vague hints that suggest that the Yamato clan is originally of Korean origin. However, all this remains the object of speculation rather than scientific research. One thing is certain: the Japanese ruling dynasty is indeed the oldest on the planet. According to tradition, the current emperor Akihito is the 125th emperor of the dynasty.

Undoubtedly, the position of the emperor as the heir of the gods in a direct line contributed to the stability of the dynasty. On the other hand, the emperor's status as a kind of high priest of the traditional Japanese religion of Shinto ("the way of the gods") did not mean that he must necessarily have real political power. Indeed, the current situation, when the Japanese emperor, surrounded by every honor, has absolutely no influence on political decision-making, is by no means an exception. Rather, on the contrary, most of his ancestors were in this position. Already the early emperors were actually puppets in the hands of their chancellors, and from the XII century. a system of hereditary commanders-in-chief (shoguns) arose, to whom the supreme power in the country actually passed. It was the dynasties of the shoguns - Minamoto (1192-1333), Ashikaga (1338-1573) and, finally, Tokugawa (1603-1868) that played the role of "ordinary", interchangeable dynasties in Japan. A shogun could be overthrown, forced to abdicate, defeated in battle. The emperor was above that. The emperor lived in his luxurious palace, which many monarchs never left in their entire lives, he was surrounded by maximum comfort, but at the same time he usually had nothing to do with real politics.

In 1868, a group of radical reformers decided to remove from power the Tokugawa shogun dynasty, which they considered corrupt, out of touch with reality and incapable of reform. These young samurai put forward a slogan, which by that time had already been tested by many opposition publicists: "Power to the Emperor!" The reformers raised an uprising, their units occupied Kyoto, in which the imperial palace was then located, and under their pressure, Emperor Mutsuhito, a 15-year-old teenager who had just ascended the throne, announced that he was taking full power in the country into his own hands. Thus began the Meiji Restoration ("Meiji", that is, "enlightened management" - the motto of the reign of Emperor Mutsuhito, Japanese emperors are usually referred to by the mottos of the reign or by their personal names).

The reforms turned out to be really radical and surprisingly successful. In the shortest possible time, for some 15-20 years, Japan has become a modern developed power. A first-class industry, education, financial structures were created, a constitution written according to the Prussian model was introduced, a powerful army and navy were founded. The success of the reforms in many respects also meant the success of the monarchy, which was now associated for the Japanese with transformations and victories. The external forms of Japanese life were thoroughly Europeanized. This also applied to the external side of the monarchy.

After the restoration (or, as it is often called, the revolution) Meiji, in its external, ritual-protocol-costume side, the monarchy abandoned the traditions that were once borrowed from China during the Tang Dynasty (7th-10th centuries AD), and in general switched to traditions borrowed from Europe of those years. Emperors began to dress in uniforms with sabers and epaulettes, appear in public, meet with foreign diplomats, give receptions, receive parades and ride horseback. However, this new shell was just as external as the Chinese shell that preceded it. The essence of the concept of imperial power and the rationale for its legitimacy remained unchanged. The emperor was still a descendant of the sun goddess and the high priest of the national religion, as well as an irreplaceable symbol of Japan.

Under the new conditions, another age-old tradition remained unchanged - the emperor's political passivity. In most cases, he simply automatically approved the decisions prepared by the real rulers of the country. Until the end of the 19th century, these were the organizers of the Meiji revolution, then they were replaced by the leaders of political parties, and from the end of the 1920s. the generals and ultra-nationalist officers began to play a decisive role. Declarations of devotion to the emperor were quite sincere, and even the most hardened and cynical politicians sometimes demonstrated their readiness to give their lives for the emperor. At the same time, the "emperor" to whom the Japanese swore allegiance was not so much a man as a living symbol of the Empire. The monarch, despite his theoretically enormous power, did not become the real head of the empire.

In 1945 Japan lost the war. By that time, Emperor Hirohito (1901-1989, the motto of the reign "Showa") was on the throne, whose reign began in 1926 and lasted 63 years. One of the most important (in fact, the only) condition for the surrender of Japan was the immunity of the emperor, whom the Americans were then going to judge as a "war criminal", and the preservation of the imperial dynasty in Japan. In the end, the Americans were forced to hint that the dynasty would be saved. In his letter, transmitted through neutral embassies, Secretary of State Byrnes stated that "the form of government in Japan will be chosen in accordance with the freely expressed will of the Japanese people." After receiving this half-promise, Japan surrendered, which the emperor announced in his famous radio speech on August 15, 1945.

Since 1945, a new history of the Japanese monarchy began. The Americans, who formally ruled Japan until 1952, tried, on the one hand, to relieve Hirohito of responsibility for war crimes (we will not talk about some relativity of the term "war crimes" here), and on the other hand, to demystify the monarchy and democratize it. In exchange for a promise not to bring Hirohito to justice, he agreed to issue a statement publicly denying his divine origins. This announcement did much to weaken the special relationship that had existed since time immemorial between the imperial dynasty and the religion of Shinto. Drawn up at the headquarters of the occupying forces and translated into Japanese, the constitution of 1947 in Article 1 proclaimed the emperor "a symbol of the state and the unity of the people", but did not provide for any duties for him - except for purely ritual ones, such as the opening of the next session of parliament. For the next half century, Hirohito, who remained a "symbol of the state", led a rather secluded life, mainly engaged in marine biology, in which he eventually gained worldwide recognition. In general, interest in biology is characteristic of the imperial family, many of whose members "in the world" are biologists (the current Emperor Akihito is an ichthyologist, the author of 25 scientific articles).

The second half of the 1940s was perhaps the only period in Japanese history when the Republican movement could be taken seriously. It not only existed, but also enjoyed a certain popularity among the left - mainly communists and socialists. However, even then, according to the estimates of the American military administration, about 90% of all Japanese were in favor of preserving the monarchy. In subsequent times, only the communists advocated the elimination of the monarchy from influential political forces, but even they did not attach much importance to their republican slogans.

In 1989, Hirohito died, and his son Akihito took the Chrysanthemum throne. The current Japanese emperor was born in 1933 and studied at the economics department of Gakushuin University, where Japanese aristocrats traditionally received their education. In 1959, the heir to the throne married Shoda Michiko. This marriage made a lot of noise, since Akihito's chosen one was not an aristocrat. The daughter of a wealthy entrepreneur, multimillionaire, she was just a commoner from the point of view of the traditionalists. Her family did not belong either to the old, thousand-year-old families, women of which traditionally became the wives of emperors, or even to the "new" aristocracy, which received European-style titles in the second half of the 19th century. In addition, Akihito, who often met with Michiko while playing tennis, himself chose her as a candidate - and became the first emperor in many centuries to choose his own wife (the choice, of course, was approved by a special commission).

However, the son of Akihito, born in 1960, the current Crown Prince Aruhito, went even further. He himself long and persistently courted his chosen one Masako, the daughter of a career diplomat, a former adviser to the Japanese Embassy in Moscow and Japan's representative to the UN. Masako herself was one of the few women working in career positions in the Japanese Foreign Ministry and initially rejected her prince. The energetic Harvard graduate did not want to sit in the golden cage of the Japanese imperial house and submit her whole life to the requirements of etiquette and the control of the ubiquitous Office of the Court.

Beginning in 1989, the reign of Akihito (the motto of the reign "Heisei") differs in many ways from the reign of his father. The new emperor is clearly striving to make the Japanese monarchy more "open", more like the surviving European monarchies. It is indicative that in 1989, upon assuming the throne, Akihito paid a tax on his father's inheritance. The imperial couple now frequent sports and cultural events, hospitals, charitable institutions - in short, the emperor behaves not like a Shinto high priest, but like a "modern" European monarch. Is this policy justified? The question is difficult. Such behavior of European monarchs largely reflects the mood of their subjects, who have long lost that respectful attitude towards the social hierarchy that was characteristic of Europeans centuries ago. The modern European monarchy cannot rely on mysticism (most European societies are secularized to the limit), nor on the habit of hierarchy, hence the desire for a "rational", "cheap" and "open" monarchy. Japanese society is also gradually changing - and, most likely, in the same direction. However, these changes remain slow, and there is no particular pressure on the monarchy yet. So, perhaps the decision to make the monarchy more accessible and earthy in strategic terms is erroneous, although in terms of tactics it clearly added popularity to the monarchy.

In any case, the position of the monarchy in Japan seems to be very strong. There is no republican movement in the country and, it seems, is not expected. The Japanese imperial family escaped the fate of their East Asian neighbors - also due to the fact that the distant ancestors of modern Japanese were very selective about the works of the great Chinese sage Mencius.

On August 8, he addressed the nation Emperor of Japan Akihito. He fears that he will not be able to fulfill his duties as a symbol of the state in the future. However, the word "renunciation" was not mentioned in the speech of the monarch. However, Akihito made it clear that he was ready for such a development of events.

“I worry that it may become difficult for me to fulfill my duties as a“ symbol of the state ”with all my being, as I have done so far,” Akihito said.

AiF.ru tells about what is known about Emperor Ahikito.

Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Biography

Akihito, Prince Tsugunomiya, was born on December 23, 1933 at 06:39 JST in Tokyo.

Akihito is the eldest son and fifth child. Emperor Hirohito and Empress Kojun. He attended the Nobles' School (kazoku) at Gakushuin University from 1940 to 1952. Along with the traditional Japanese tutor of the imperial family, S. Koizumi, the prince also had an American tutor - Elizabeth Gray Wining, children's book author, which helped the prince in the study of English and Western culture.

In 1952, the prince entered the Department of Politics, Department of Politics and Economics of Gakushuin University, in November of the same year he was officially declared crown prince.

Travels to North America and Europe

While still a student and crown prince, Akihito made a six-month trip to 14 countries in North America and Western Europe in 1953. The central part of this trip was his visit to London as the representative of Emperor Hirohito at the coronation Queen Elizabeth II.

A young Akihito with his father, Emperor Shōwa. 1950 Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Marriage to Michiko Shode

The university was successfully completed in March 1956, and in April 1959 the crown prince married Michiko Shoda, the eldest daughter of Hidesaburo Shoda, president of a large flour milling company. Thus, centuries-old traditions were violated, ordering members of the imperial family to choose their wives from girls of exclusively aristocratic origin.

Michiko Shoda was born in Tokyo on October 20, 1934. Her family are representatives of a highly educated intelligentsia. Two members of this family were awarded the Order of Cultural Merit, the highest academic award bestowed by the emperor on outstanding scientists.

The Imperial Household Administration, headed by the Prime Minister and composed of representatives of the imperial family, chairmen of the House of Representatives and House of Councilors of Parliament, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and others, unanimously approved the selection of the Crown Prince.

Akihito and Michiko in their family life managed to achieve relative freedom from the rigidity of palace traditions. Together with his wife, Akihito changed the way of life in the imperial family. Despite being constantly busy with official events, they themselves raised children, two sons and a daughter, without giving them to the care of nannies and tutors.

After the marriage ceremony. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

While still heir to the throne, Akihito made official visits to 37 countries around the world at the invitation of their governments. Akihito was also the honorary chairman of the XI Pacific Science Congress in 1966, the 1967 Universiade in Tokyo, and the EXPO-70 exhibition in Osaka. During Emperor Hirohito's trips to Europe in 1971 and the United States in 1975, the Crown Prince performed state functions in place of his father.

In September 1988, due to the illness of Emperor Hirohito, Crown Prince Akihito assumed a number of public duties, including attending the opening ceremony of the parliament session.

On January 7, 1989, the Crown Prince became Emperor of Japan, inheriting the throne after his father's death. From that day on, Japan began a new period of national chronology (corresponding to the period of imperial rule) - Heisei (Jap. 平成).

At the White House of President Eisenhower and his wife and Washington. 1960 Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Two days after accession to the throne, during the first audience given to members of the public, the emperor promised to strictly fulfill his duties. “I guarantee that I will always be with my people and will support the Constitution,” he said.

Interests

Emperor Akihito is fond of biology and ichthyology (a branch of zoology dealing with the study of fish). Already published 25 of his scientific papers on sea gobies. In 1986 he was elected an honorary member of the Linnaeus Society of London, the international society of biologists. After a trip to the US, Akihito encouraged the Japanese to breed American bream. The Japanese followed his advice, and as a result, American bream began to crowd out Japanese fish in Japanese waters. In this regard, in 2007, Akihito publicly apologized to the Japanese people.

In addition, Akihito is interested in history. Of the sports he prefers tennis (he met his future wife on the court), horseback riding also brings him joy.

Princess Takako with her older brother Crown Prince Akihito in 1954. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Children

The imperial couple have three children: Crown Prince Naruhito (February 23, 1960), Prince Akishino (Fumihito) (November 30, 1965), Princess Sayako (April 18, 1969).

Functions of the Emperor of Japan

• confirmation, in accordance with law, of the appointments and dismissals of ministers of state and other officials, as well as the powers and credentials of ambassadors and envoys;
• confirmation of general and private amnesties, mitigation and deferment of punishment, restoration of rights;
• awarding awards;
• confirmation in accordance with the law of instruments of ratification and other diplomatic documents, the reception of foreign ambassadors and envoys;
• performance of the ceremony.

In practice, the Emperor has even less authority than the monarch of Great Britain, since he is deprived of even such traditional rights for the head of state as the right of veto, influence on the formation of the government, and supreme command of the armed forces.

Emperor Akihito with Empress Michiko. 2005 year. Photo: commons.wikimedia.org

Solution of state issues

The day-to-day affairs of state in Japan are decided by the Imperial Court Office, which operates under the Office of the Prime Minister. The head of the department is appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of the Emperor and supervises the work of the staff, the number of which in the early 80s. exceeded 1 thousand people.

In the event of a regency being established, the Regent acts on behalf of the Emperor. In addition, the Emperor, in accordance with the law, may entrust other persons with the exercise of his powers. The Emperor has to carry out a number of foreign policy measures not only alone, but also with members of the imperial family.

The monarch is also present at various national holidays and official celebrations. At such events, conversations are held with scientists, artists and other specialists in various fields. The emperor often visits social welfare facilities, industrial enterprises, scientific centers, art exhibitions and charity events.