Japan Brief/FPCJ, No. 0970
November 17, 2009


20th Anniversary of Emperor’s Enthronement

On November 12 a government-sponsored ceremony and a private-sector ceremony were held in Tokyo for the Emperor, who marked the twentieth anniversary of his enthronement on that day. The government-sponsored ceremony to celebrate the occasion, which was held at the National Theater of Japan, was attended by about 1,000 persons, including Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama (the executive head), the legislative and judicial heads, foreign ambassadors in Japan, and invited guests. The private-sector ceremony, which was organized by political and business circles and held at the Imperial Palace Plaza, attracted about 30,000 people. The Japanese media reported the two ceremonies in detail, and the major newspapers all ran special feature articles recalling the past 20 years since the Emperor’s enthronement.

Government-Sponsored and Private-Sector Ceremonies

At the government-sponsored ceremony, Prime Minister Hatoyama offered his congratulations on behalf of the people of Japan, and the Emperor said, “I am profoundly moved as I think back on the passage of 20 years. Reflecting on the days since my accession, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to the Japanese people who have continued to support the Empress and myself.” At the private-sector ceremony, meanwhile, well-known people from all walks of life gathered. The actress Mitsuko Mori and others gave congratulatory addresses, and the J-pop group Exile performed a commemorative piece titled “Taiyo no kuni” (Nation of the Sun). The Emperor and Empress appeared on the Nijubashi bridge at the Imperial Palace and waved lanterns in response to the shouts of congratulation ringing out from the plaza. At the end the Emperor said, “I would like to express my deep appreciation for this commemorative ceremony....” The participants responded by giving three banzai cheers and waving lanterns in celebration of the anniversary.

According to reports in the major newspapers (November 12), at a press conference held at the Imperial Palace prior to the ceremonies, speaking of events that had made a deep impression on him during the last 20 years, the Emperor cited the events which occurred in the world following the collapse of the Berlin Wall, and domestically the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995. Regarding the issue of the abduction of Japanese nationals by North Korea, he said, “It is hard to imagine the anguish of the families of those involved.” In response to a question about the future of the imperial family, the Emperor said, “I think the issues concerning the system of Imperial succession should be left to the deliberation in the Diet, but concerning the ideal role of the Imperial Family in the future, I think it is important that the views of the Crown Prince and Prince Akishino, who supports him, are respected.” Regarding his concern about Japan’s future, the Emperor said, “What I am rather more concerned about is that history might gradually be forgotten.”

On November 12 the major newspapers carried feature articles about the main activities of the Emperor in the 20 years since his enthronement. The Mainichi Shimbun wrote, “One of the themes toward which the Emperor and Empress have adopted a consistent and unchanging stance over the last 20 years is paying tribute to and remembering the war dead. On the occasion of the fiftieth and sixtieth anniversaries of the end of World War II they visited Okinawa, Iwojima, and Saipan.” According to the Asahi Shimbun, the Emperor has visited 32 countries on 15 overseas trips during the last 20 years. On these overseas trips, and also when meeting with foreign leaders visiting Japan, he has expressed heartfelt grief over people who suffered in past wars involving Japan. Furthermore, the Emperor and Empress have visited a total of five disaster areas, including the sites of the Unzen Fugendake volcano eruption in 1991, the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake in 1995, and three other earthquakes. They have also visited 10 disaster-stricken areas to see the progress of rehabilitation.

Major Newspaper Editorials

Japan’s major newspapers all carried editorials on the twentieth anniversary of the Emperor’s enthronement in their November 12 editions (November 11 for The Nikkei). The Sankei Shimbun had an especially long editorial.

The Yomiuri Shimbun editorial, headlined “20 peaceful years with the Emperor,” commented, “The Emperor and the Empress have strived to share the feelings of the people. It is in the last 20 years that the image of the imperial family as being approachable and worthy of respect has prevailed among the public.” Noting that the Emperor will turn 76 next month, it added, “We hope the Imperial Household Agency will continue to take sufficient care with the Emperor’s schedule so that not only he but also the Empress can stay in good health.”

Under the headline “Heisei Era at 20: Imperial succession remains a pressing issue,” the Asahi Shimbun editorial stated, “The 20th anniversary of the Emperor’s enthronement offers an ideal opportunity for the nation to ponder the future of the imperial family. At a news conference held prior to the anniversary, the Emperor said he believes that both the Crown Prince and Prince Akishino, his younger son, have ‘been developing well-considered views’ about what being emperor entails. We want to hear the Crown Prince, who is to inherit the throne, offer his thoughts on this issue. The people, for their part, should also think about what kind of role they want the emperor to perform within the framework of the Constitution.”

The Mainichi editorial, titled “Accumulating track record as ‘symbolic emperor,’” noted positively, “These 20 years have been a period in which the Emperor has been searching for a role as a ‘symbolic emperor,’ and he has accumulated an excellent track record.” Drawing attention to the Emperor’s remark at his press conference that “What I am rather more concerned about is that history might gradually be forgotten,” the Mainichi commented, “Not cutting off the past and always making use of the bitter lessons without ever forgetting—that attitude can be described as a major characteristic of the Emperor, too.”

The Nikkei editorial, headlined “20 years of shaping the ‘symbolic emperor,’” stated, “In April of this year the Emperor said, ‘How that symbol should be is a question that is never far from my mind, and to this day, I am still seeking an appropriate answer.’ The Emperor’s 20 years on the throne are condensed in these words.” It went on, “Through his positive actions, including his feelings toward peace expressed in memorials to the war dead and his visits to 32 countries since his enthronement, the Emperor has built up an image of a ‘symbolic emperor.’ And this image can be said to match the people’s expectations.”

Under the headline “Wishing for the prosperity of the nation and the imperial family,” the Sankei editorial drew attention to the Emperor’s remark in his press conference that “I am hopeful that they will combine their wisdom and collaborate to surmount one by one the challenges that our country is facing.” The Sankei noted, “One can see here the Emperor’s feeling of always thinking about the people.” Referring to the problem of the imperial succession, the Sankei commented, “It is necessary to scrap the conclusion of the Advisory Council on the Imperial House Law and have real experts with a thorough knowledge of the imperial family and history study the matter. There is plenty of time. Before simply permitting female accession to the throne, various measures are available for maintaining the male line, such as restoring the imperial status of former imperial households and introducing an adoption system.”

(Copyright 2009 Foreign Press Center, Japan)

*Japan Brief is an original production of the Foreign Press Center, Japan, and does not represent the views of the Government of Japan or of any other body.