Japan, the neighboring country of Korea, is going to hold a ceremony this week to proclaim
the enthronement of Emperor Naruhito.
South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon is scheduled to visit Tokyo to attend the event.
This week Korea Now will look into the Emperor of Japan, the symbol of unity of the Japanese
people.
Japanese Emperor is the head of the Imperial Family of Japan.
Currently, the Emperor of Japan is the only head of state in the world with the English
title of “emperor.”
The Imperial House of Japan is the oldest continuing monarchial house in the world whose
origin dates back to the 7th century B.C. the mythical Emperor Jimmu.
The role of Japanese Emperor has historically alternated between a largely ceremonial symbolic
role and that of an actual imperial ruler.
Since the establishment of the first shogunate in 1192, the emperors have rarely taken on
a role as supreme battlefield commander, unlike many Western monarchs.
Japanese emperors have nearly always been controlled by external political forces, to
varying degrees.
After the Meiji Restoration in 1867, the emperor became the embodiment of all sovereign power
in the realm, as enshrined in the Meiji Constitution of 1889.
After World War II, however, the role of Japanese emperor was changed again.
Emperor Hirohito, the grandson of Emperor Meiji, was the head of state during Japan's
imperial expansion and militarization.
Some historians believe Hirohito was directly responsible for the atrocities committed by
the imperial forces in the Second Sino-Japanese War and in World War II, even though his degree
of involvement in wartime decisions remains controversial.
After Japan's surrender in 1945, however, he was not prosecuted for war crimes as many
other leading government figures were.
It was because General Douglas MacArthur decided that retention of emperor was vital to maintaining
order in Japan.
Therefore, the emperor has returned to a ceremonial head of state without even nominal political
powers as in the shogunate era.
Under the 1947 constitution, the Emperor of Japan is defined as “the symbol of the State
and the unity of the people.”
Hirohito was crowned as emperor on December 25th 1926 and ruled Japan for 6 decades until
his death on January 7th 1989.
His reign was designated as Shōwa, making him the longest-reigning Japanese monarch
in history.
After Emperor Shōwa, Akihito reigned as the 125th Emperor of Japan from January 7th 1989
until his abdication on April 30th 2019, Heisei era.
Upon abdication due to his age and declining health, he became emperor emeritus for the
first time since the 119th Emperor of Japan, Emperor Kōkaku, 202 years ago.
Contrary to Japanese politicians who refuse to acknowledge or apologize for atrocities
their country committed during World War II, Akihito expressed “deep remorse” over
the Imperial Wars of aggression in his speech on the 70th anniversary of Japan’s surrender
in 2015.
Emperor Naruhito also expressed “deep remorse” over Japan’s wartime misdeeds.
The new emperor, who acceded to the throne on May 1st, made a speech last August similar
to one delivered by his father, Emperor Akihito.
He expressed hopes of not repeating the calamities of war with a deep remorse about the past
in his first address to the people since his throne.
Therefore, some even argue that President Moon Jae-in himself instead of Prime Minister
should go and attend the enthronement event to find a breakthrough to ease tensions between
South Korea and Japan.
Seoul and Tokyo have been mired in a trade war after the South Korean Supreme Court ordered
Japanese firms to compensate South Korean victims of forced labor during Japan’s 1910-45
colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
A Cheong Wa Dae official, however, said President Moon will not attend the event, citing Tokyo’s
stance on its trade curbs against Seoul over a historical issue.
The South Korean Prime Minister Lee is known to be relatively familiar with Japan.
He speaks fluent Japanese and previously served as a Tokyo correspondent while working as
a journalist.
He is also known to have an extensive network among Japanese officials.
Some even regard his visit as a move that may thaw relations between the two countries
following a year of friction.
However, others are cautious about predicting any tangible, fruitful outcome of Lee’s
visit.
What are your thoughts on this?
Please let me know in the comments below and thank you for watching Korea Now.