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Japan Forward
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Emperor Naruhito to Visit Okinawa in WWII Tribute, Reaffirming Peace
Their Majesties Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit Okinawa Prefecture beginning June 4. The trip is part of a remembrance journey marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Later, on June 19, they will travel to Hiroshima, a city devastated by the atomic bomb. His Majesty's tributes to those who perished in battle and the atomic bombings carry deep significance. It will be a time for the nation to come together in solemn reflection and mourning. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park Accompanied by Empress Masako and their daughter, Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito will lay flowers at the National Cemetery for the War Dead in Mabuni, Itoman City. The site marks the location of the final and fiercest battle of the Okinawa campaign in 1945. The Imperial Family is also scheduled to visit the Tsushima-maru Memorial Museum, which commemorates a school evacuation ship sunk by American forces in 1944. Its sinking resulted in the deaths of many children. During their visit, the Imperial Family will also meet with bereaved families. In Hiroshima, Their Majesties will offer flowers at the Cenotaph for the Victims of the Atomic Bomb in Peace Memorial Park. The Imperial Household Agency is also making arrangements for a visit to Nagasaki, site of the second atomic bombing, later in 2025. Many local residents are looking forward to welcoming Their Majesties. Near their hotel in Naha City, volunteers are organizing a lantern procession, and traditional Ryukyuan dance performances are also planned. Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko at the Himeyuri Cenotaph during their first visit to Okinawa. July 17, 1975. This remembrance journey follows the example set by Emperor Emeritus Akihito, who began such visits in 1995, the 50th anniversary of the end of the war. Together with Empress Emerita Michiko, he visited Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Okinawa, and sites affected by the Tokyo air raids to honor the war dead. At a press conference in February, Emperor Naruhito reflected on the importance of remembrance, stating: "I hope it will be an opportunity to reflect deeply on the value of peace and renew our resolve to uphold it." The Emperor is also engaging in remembrance activities at wartime sites overseas. In April, he and the Empress visited Iwo Jima. In July, he will make his first official visit to Mongolia as Emperor and may offer prayers for Japanese detainees once held there by the former Soviet Union. However, political tensions have made such visits to the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, and sites in China and Russia, difficult at this time. After World War II, Emperor Hirohito visited Yasukuni Shrine eight times to honor the spirits of those who died in conflicts dating back to the late Edo period. However, amid opposition from China, South Korea, and domestic left-wing groups, no Emperor has visited the shrine since November 1975. ( Read the related editorial in Japanese . ) Author: The Sankei Shimbun
Straits Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Pro-government newspaper in Japan shocks with ‘radical' support for female emperor
(From left) Japan's Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other royal family members attending the spring garden party at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on April 22. PHOTO: AFP – The two main conservative media outlets in Japan are waging a battle for public opinion, after the Yomiuri newspaper broached an idea long held to be taboo and one that breaks from right-wing values. 'We should not rule out the possibility of a female emperor, or an emperor through a female line,' the Yomiuri newspaper declared in its Page One story on May 15, as it unveiled policy proposals on the question of imperial succession. 'If we continue to insist on male descendants in the male line, the survival of the symbolic emperor system will be in jeopardy.' That the influential Yomiuri Shimbun – Japan's largest broadsheet with a daily circulation of 6.2 million copies – was giving policy recommendations is not surprising. Since 1994, it has leveraged its position as the nation's most-read newspaper to drive policy agenda through its proposals. However, what has rippled through Japan's political hallways was how the Yomiuri, often considered to be pro-government for its alignment with the conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), has embraced a stance that is more in line with the political left. The hawkish Sankei newspaper, with a circulation of under one million, launched a broadside, enlisting commentators who accused the Yomiuri of 'misleading the public' with 'sloppy content'. Its chief editorial writer Satoshi Sakakibara said the Yomiuri was bordering on blasphemy and would lead to 'Japan ceasing to be Japanese'. A Sankei editorial noted that legacy newspapers should not jump on the popular bandwagon and engage in 'knee-jerk politics, by rushing to conclusions based on superficial information without considering the weight of history or responsibility to the future'. The culture war comes as the future of Japan's monarchy – the world's oldest hereditary royal lineage dating to 660BC – is now a hot-button issue in Japan's Parliament, due to the dwindling number of political heirs. Public opinion, however, is firmly in support of a female monarch or an emperor of matrilineal descent. This clashes with conservative hardliners within the LDP, who want to preserve the Chrysanthemum Throne exclusively for male descendants of the male line. This is nothing to do with a gender divide: among the staunchest flag-bearers for hardline policy is former economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, a prime ministerial hopeful who has of late sharpened her criticism of incumbent leader Shigeru Ishiba. Mr Kiyotaka Akasaka, president of the non-profit Nippon Communications Foundation, told The Straits Times that the Yomiuri's proposals are 'radical' given the newspaper's usual position, and come as a 'bombshell to the political right'. The policy ideas might not have been possible if veteran journalist Tsuneo Watanabe, who was Yomiuri's managing editor from 1985 until his death at 98 in 2024, was still alive, Mr Akasaka said. The clash in views, he added, stems from the hardliners' unwavering commitment to traditional values regardless of circumstance and despite the alarming decline of imperial family members. But he noted: 'It is very difficult to foresee how greatly these proposals will impact the current policy considerations, but they have very much encouraged the political opposition.' Emperor Naruhito, 65, is the 126th reigning monarch after his father Akihito, 91, broke with tradition to abdicate in 2019 and become Emperor Emeritus. There are just three heirs to the Chrysanthemum Throne: Crown Prince Akishino, 59, the Emperor's younger brother ; Prince Hisahito, the 18-year-old son of the crown prince; and finally, Prince Hitachi, 89, the siblings' uncle. This is the stark reality: if Prince Hisahito chooses not to get married, or does not produce a male child, there would be nobody to succeed the throne. Already, there has been pushback. In contrast to his grandfather, the late wartime Emperor Hirohito, who was revered as a deity until Japan lost the war, Crown Prince Akishino said at a news conference in 2024 that politicians should not lose sight of how the royals who are affected by policy are 'real live human beings'. There are now five unmarried women in the 16-member imperial household, including Princess Aiko, who is 23 years old and the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako. While commoner women marry into the imperial family, like Empress Masako, princesses who are born in the family lose their royal identity and become commoners themselves when they wed commoners. The latest to leave the family is Crown Prince Akishino's daughter Mako, 33, who married her college sweetheart in 2021. The couple promptly relocated to the United States and have not returned to Japan since. On May 30, the Imperial Household Agency said the couple had given birth to their first child, without revealing the gender. As a solution to the dwindling numbers, the Yomiuri Shimbun suggests allowing princesses to keep their royal status after marriage, with their husbands and children entering the imperial household. Traditionalists agree that princesses should remain as royals and continue official duties after marriage. But they draw the line at admitting their spouses and children into the family, arguing that this could result in a matrilineal emperor and taint the royal bloodline. They note that while there have been eight female emperors, they were all unmarried and patrilineal heirs. There has never been a matrilineal emperor . The Yomiuri, however, believes that the idea of 'one family, two statuses' is unrealistic. As commoners, the spouses and children would be free to express their opinions that could impugn the imperial family's 'political neutrality and dignity'. It further points to how the unbroken bloodline, across millennia, had been sustained by concubines, with 55 illegitimate children having become Emperors. Meanwhile, traditionalists also favour bringing back members of 11 former branches of the imperial family that were disbande d after World War II, through 'adoption'. It is said that there are at least 10 unmarried male descendants in their 20s or younger among these branches. But the idea has very little traction among the public. Eighty years have passed since the war, and members of these branch families would have grown accustomed to life as commoners, outside the public eye and rigid rules of the imperial household. Kanda University of International Studies lecturer Jeffrey Hall told ST that this plan would 'raise questions about the human rights of the individuals involved', noting that the Yomiuri sees this as 'a more unreliable and unpredictable solution that could dilute public support for the monarchy'. Dr Hall noted that the monarchy is not a major issue for moderate or centre-right voters, although there is a 'very vocal minority' of extreme conservatives who prefer the Sankei to the Yomiuri for 'more consistently taking their side on culture war issues'. While they are not the majority of LDP voters, the party would have difficulty winning elections without their support, he said. 'To many Japanese, the insistence on male-only succession seems to clash with the concepts of gender equality and women's rights,' Dr Hall said. 'But die-hard conservatives will do almost anything to protect what they see as one of their nation's most sacred traditions.' Walter Sim is Japan correspondent at The Straits Times. Based in Tokyo, he writes about political, economic and socio-cultural issues. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
Japanese Emperor, Empress Host Dutch King for Dinner
News from Japan Society May 22, 2025 22:18 (JST) Tokyo, May 22 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako hosted Dutch King Willem-Alexander for a dinner at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on Thursday. The Emperor welcomed the king around 7 p.m., shook hands with him with a smile and entered the palace with him while having a conversation. In 2006, the Imperial couple stayed in the Netherlands for two weeks for a retreat together with their daughter, Princess Aiko. In 2013, they attended the king's coronation ceremony. The couple met with the king at the Emperor's enthronement ceremony in 2019 and the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2020. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
Japan Forward
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
An Imperial Week in Photos: Empress Masako at the National Red Cross Convention
このページを 日本語 で読む On May 9, His Majesty Emperor Naruhito attended the Spring Conferment Ceremony of the Grand Cordon, held in the Seiden-Matsu-no-Ma (State Room) of the Imperial Palace. Following the ceremony, he shook hands with the recipients, personally offering his congratulations to each one. On May 14, the Emperor carried out the annual rice planting at a rice field near the Biological Research Institute within the Imperial Palace grounds. He planted a total of 20 rice seedlings, grown from seeds sown in April, gently pressing each one into the soil by hand. Emperor Naruhito participates in rice planting at the Imperial Palace's rice field, May 14, in Chiyoda, Tokyo. (Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency) Emperor Naruhito participates in rice planting at the Imperial Palace's rice field, May 14, in Chiyoda, Tokyo. (Courtesy of the Imperial Household Agency) On May 13, Her Majesty Empress Masako attended the National Red Cross Convention at the Meiji Jingu Kaikan in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward. The event, organized by the Japanese Red Cross Society where she serves as Honorary President, recognized individuals and organizations for their contributions to Red Cross activities. Empress Masako, Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako, Princess Nobuko, and Princess Hisako attend the National Red Cross Convention, May 13, at Meiji Jingu Kaikan in Shibuya, Tokyo. During the ceremony, the Empress presented the Order of Merit to several honorees. Also in attendance were Honorary Vice Presidents Princess Kiko, Princess Hanako, Princess Nobuko, and Princess Hisako. After the award presentation, Empress Masako spoke with doctors who had provided medical support following the Noto Peninsula earthquake. The conversation focused on psychological care for victims and the importance of mental health support. According to the Imperial Household Agency, Her Highness Princess Aiko, daughter of the Emperor and Empress, helped guide and assist attendees at the venue. She is currently working as a non-regular employee at the Japanese Red Cross. On the same day, Empress Masako also participated in the Imperial Sericulture Ceremony (Goyosan Hajime no Gi) at the Momijiyama Imperial Cocoonery, continuing a tradition that has been passed down by successive empresses. On May 9, Princess Aiko continued her tour of Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai, spending a second day exploring the site. At an event celebrating traditional Osaka festivals, she was especially drawn to a danjiri festival float, remarking, "They turn corners at incredible speed, don't they?" At EARTH MART, an exhibit that invites reflection on the meaning of life through food, she viewed displays on global food issues. Princess Aiko visits the EARTH MART pavilion at Expo 2025, Osaka, Kansai. Looking back on a previous visit to the site before construction began, she noted, "I saw it when it was still just a field, so I'm amazed at how far things have come." Princess Aiko visits the Singapore Pavilion on May 9. Princess Aiko visits the Kenya exhibit at the Commons-A Pavilion at the Osaka Expo on May 9. On May 14, Her Highness Princess Akiko also toured the Expo. She visited several pavilions, including the Nordic Pavilion, and took part in a parade celebrating Sweden's National Day. Princess Akiko with King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden during a parade at the Osaka Expo on May 14. (©Sankei by Nagumo Miyako) His Majesty Emperor Emeritus Akihito was discharged from the University of Tokyo Hospital on May 10, after being admitted on May 6 for tests. Her Majesty Empress Emerita Michiko accompanied him as they returned to the Akasaka Imperial Residence. The Imperial Household Agency reported that he had been diagnosed with asymptomatic myocardial ischemia. Moving forward, his exercise routine will be carefully adjusted, and he will begin taking new medication to improve blood circulation. On May 10, Her Highness Princess Kako attended the 34th "Green Gratitude Festival" ceremony, which celebrates forests and flowers, at Iino Hall in Chiyoda Ward. She is the second daughter of His Highness Crown Prince Fumihito and Her Highness Crown Princess Kiko. Princess Kako at the Green Gratitude Festival on May 10, in Chiyoda, Tokyo. On May 11, Her Highness Princess Hanako participated in the "National Wild Bird Protection Gathering," hosted by the Wild Bird Society of Japan in Tokyo. Her husband, His Highness Prince Masahito, serves as the president of the society. On May 10, Her Highness Princess Nobuko visited Aichi Prefecture to attend the general assembly of the support association for "AJU Jiritsu-no-Ie," a social welfare organization her late husband, Prince Tomohito, had supported. Then, on May 14 and 15, she traveled to Kagawa Prefecture to tour the Setouchi Triennale, an international art festival held on Naoshima and other islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Author: Masashi Nakamura and Tomomi Yoshizawa, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Japan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Japan's emperor and empress to visit Hiroshima in June
Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will visit Hiroshima Prefecture on June 19-20, their first visit to the prefecture since the emperor's enthronement in 2019, the Imperial Household Agency said Monday. The imperial couple will visit the city of Hiroshima to commemorate the victims of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing and observe reconstruction in an area hit hard by a massive landslide in 2014. On June 19, the emperor and the empress will offer flowers at the monument in the Peace Memorial Park for those who died in the atomic bombing, visit a center showcasing damage from the weapon and hold talks with hibakusha atomic bomb survivors at the Peace Memorial Museum. The following day, the couple are scheduled to visit an erosion control dam built in Asaminami Ward following the 2014 disaster. At a memorial center, they will meet with disaster-afflicted citizens. The emperor and the empress will also meet with residents of a care facility for hibakusha. As part of events marking the 80th anniversary of Japan's surrender in World War II, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited Ioto, a Pacific island widely known as Iwo Jima, a major battlefield in the war, in April. On June 4-5, the couple and their daughter, Princess Aiko, will visit Okinawa Prefecture, where a fierce ground battle took place during the war.
