Dissent Between Politics and Imperial System

Vice-Grand Steward of Imperial Household Agency, Yasuhiko Nishimura, announced a notion of the Agency on Emperor Akihito’s abdication that it would be difficult to set the ceremony of enthronement for next Emperor on January 1^st. It was because New Year’s Day would be so extremely important day with traditional ritual events in Imperial Palace that the Agency would not be able to afford to have such a big event like enthronement. While Shinzo Abe administration is considering abdication to be done at the end of 2018 and starting new era at the beginning of 2019, a hard objection came up from the Emperor’s side.

Every early morning of January 1^st, the Emperor greets for Gods in four directions, and then, prays for stability and prosperity of the nation. After those ritual events, the Emperor holds a meeting to greet the leaders of Japan including Prime Minister. Emphasizing Emperor’s seriousness on those events, Nishimura told that setting events of enthronement would be “difficult.” He was also negative on handing throne over the Prince and renewal of the name of era on January 1^st.

Japanese media reported that the government of Japan was setting the schedule of enthronement at the beginning of 2019, interpreting the words of Akihito expressed last summer. Not indicating his opinion was Emperor’s will, Nishimura told that the negative stance on January 1^st enthronement was the view of IHA. “Because the media has been reporting as if the schedule was determined, I explained the opinion of IHA,” told Nishimura.

Abe administration was apparently frustrated with sudden dissent from the Agency. “The opinion was a general argument that the Emperor would be busy on January 1^st,” told Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga. He left the discussion over the enthronement schedule to the experts’ meeting set by the administration.

This is a serious lack of communication between Prime Minister’s Official Residence and IHA. IHA did not know about a plan of enthronement on January 1^st of 2019 before it was reported. While Akihito has revealed his hope to set a permanent system of abdication to his friend, Abe administration is going forward to special and temporary legislation only applied to Akihito.

Politics and imperial system have to be separated in Constitution of Japan. That is why their opinions must be naturally integrated without fundamental difference. If the intention of Abe administration overtook the hope of Emperor, politics can be taking advantage of imperial system.