Emperor and Politics

The Emperor of Japan celebrated eightieth birthday on Monday. In the press conference, His Majesty emphasized his commitment on protecting the Constitution of Japan. Uh-oh, didn’t it completely contradict the standpoint of Abe Shinzo administration, which has been deriding the Constitution about the provisions of renouncing war and possession of military force. Since the Constitution requires the Emperor to follow advice and approval of the Cabinet, no political difference must not appear. After all, which was wrong: the Emperor or the Prime Minister?

In the conference, the Emperor picked the World War II as the most impressive event in his life. “It was really heartbreaking when I remind of young people, who had a various hopes in their future, had lost their lives,” he said. On reconstruction process, he showed his idea that the Japanese has reconstructed current Japan by establishing the Constitution of Japan regarding peace and democracy as precious, and by exercising a lot of reforms. “I deeply thank,” he told, “the efforts made by many people to rebuild exhausted land by the war.”

From the reporters, there was a question about the relationship between politics and royal family. That was understandable enough, because there were at least three opportunities in which the relationship of them was broadly argued. Those were banzai call by Abe and his colleagues to the Emperor at the end of the ceremony of Sovereignty Resumption Day on April 28, Princess Hisako Takamado’s attendance to general meeting of International Olympic Committee in Buenos Aires, in which Tokyo won Olympic 2020, and handing the Emperor out a letter about situation of sufferers of the East Japan Great Earthquake by Councillor Taro Yamamoto.

Citing the Article IV, which determines that the Emperor has no power related to government, His Majesty stressed his restriction of activities as the Emperor. However, he added that “Sometimes it is difficult to judge,” and he said he would consult with the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency at that situation.

The point is that the Emperor is one of the biggest advocates of democracy in Japan, and strictly abiding by the Constitution, even if Abe and other right-wing colleagues hated the Constitution as forced by America. Although it was not clear whether he was skeptical about the assertive policy of Abe administration, the Emperor was willing to be restricted within the provisions of the Constitution, with a hope of maintaining peace. If Abe moves to change the article to make the Emperor the head of state, and it causes turmoil inside and outside Japan, it is highly skeptical that the Emperor will support it. So it is Abe who should be accused as changing status quo by power.