In Japan, the Emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Majesty the Emperor" (天皇陛下, Tennō Heika) which may be shortened to "His Majesty" (陛下, Heika).[2] In writing, the Emperor is also referred to formally as "The Reigning Emperor" (今上天皇, Kinjō Tennō). The era of Naruhito's reign bears the name "Reiwa" (令和)pronounced[ɾeːɰa](listen), and according to custom he will be renamed Emperor Reiwa (令和天皇, Reiwa Tennō, see "posthumous name") by order of the Cabinet after his death. The name of the next era under his successor will be established after his death or before his abdication.[3]
Early life
Naruhito in February 1961
Naruhito was born on 23 February 1960 at 4:15p.m. in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace.[4] As a prince, he later quipped, "I was born in a barn inside the moat".[5] His mother is a convert to Shinto from Roman Catholicism. Before Naruhito's birth, the announcement of the then Crown Prince Akihito's engagement and marriage to Michiko Shōda (later Empress Michiko) had drawn opposition from traditionalist groups, because Michiko came from a Roman Catholic family.[6] Although she was never baptized, she was educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share the faith of her parents. Rumors also speculated that Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After the death of Naruhito's paternal grandmother Empress Kōjun in 2000, Reuters reported that she had been one of the strongest opponents of her son's marriage, and that in the 1960s, she had driven her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to depression by persistently accusing her of not being suitable for her son.[7]
Naruhito's childhood was reported to be happy, and he enjoyed activities such as mountain climbing, riding and learning the violin. He played with the children of the royal chamberlain, and he was a fan of the Yomiuri Giants in the Central League, his favorite player being No. 3, later team manager, Shigeo Nagashima. One day, Naruhito found the remains of an ancient roadway in the palace grounds, sparking a lifelong fascination with the history of transportation, which would provide the subject of his bachelor's and master's degrees in history.[8] He later said, "I have had a keen interest in roads since childhood. On roads you can go to the unknown world. Since I have been leading a life where I have few chances to go out freely, roads are a precious bridge to the unknown world, so to speak."[9]
In August 1974, when the prince was 14, he was sent to Melbourne, Australia, for a homestay. Naruhito's father, then the Crown Prince Akihito, had had a positive experience there on a trip the year before, and encouraged his son to go as well.[10] He stayed with the family of businessman Colin Harper.[11] He got along with his host brothers, riding around Point Lonsdale, playing the violin and tennis, and climbing Uluru together.[12] Once he even played the violin for dignitaries at a state dinner at Government House hosted by Governor-General Sir John Kerr.[13]
Education
Naruhito in 1990
When Naruhito was four years old he was enrolled in the prestigious Gakushūin school system, where many of Japan's elite families and narikin (nouveaux riches) send their children.[14] In senior high, Naruhito joined the geography club.[15]
Naruhito graduated from Gakushuin University in March 1982 with a Bachelor of Letters degree in history.[16] In July 1983 he entered a three-month intensive English course before entering Merton College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom,[17] where he studied until 1986. Naruhito did not, however, submit his thesis A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century until 1989.[18] He later revisited these years in his book, The Thames and I – a Memoir of Two Years at Oxford. He visited some 21 historic pubs, including the Trout Inn.[19] Naruhito joined the Japan Society and the drama society, and became the honorary president of the karate and judo clubs.[20] He played inter-college tennis, seeded number three out of six on the Merton team,[20] and took golf lessons from a pro.[20] In his three years at Merton he also climbed the highest peaks in three of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom: Scotland's Ben Nevis, Wales' Snowdon and Scafell Pike in England.[21]
Naruhito first met Masako Owada at a tea for Infanta Elena of Spain in November 1986,[25][20] during her studies at the University of Tokyo. The prince was immediately captivated by her,[26] and arranged for them to meet several times over the next few weeks.[27] Because of this, they were pursued relentlessly by the press throughout 1987.[28]
Despite the Imperial Household Agency's disapproval of Masako Owada, and her attending Balliol College, Oxford, for the next two years, Naruhito remained interested in Masako who worked at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He proposed to her three times before the Imperial Palace announced their engagement on 19 January 1993. The wedding took place on 9 June the same year at the Imperial Shinto Hall in Tokyo before 800 invited guests, including many of Europe's heads of state and royalty.[29]
By the time of their marriage, Naruhito's grandfather Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) had died, and so on 23 February 1991, Naruhito had been invested as the Crown Prince with the title Prince Hiro (浩宮, Hiro-no-miya).[30]
Masako's first pregnancy was announced in December 1999, but she miscarried.[31] Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have one daughter, Aiko, Princess Toshi (敬宮愛子内親王, Toshi-no-miya Aiko Naishinnō), born 1 December 2001 at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace.[32][33]
Hobbies and interests
Naruhito is interested in water policy and water conservation. In March 2003, in his capacity as honorary president of the Third World Water Forum, he delivered a speech at the forum's opening ceremony titled "Waterways Connecting Kyoto and Local Regions". Visiting Mexico in March 2006, he gave the keynote address at the opening ceremony for the Fourth World Water Forum, "Edo and Water Transport". And in December 2007, he gave a commemorative talk at the opening ceremony for the First Asia-Pacific Water Summit, "Humans and Water: From Japan to the Asia-Pacific Region".[30]
Naruhito plays the viola, having switched from the violin because he thought the latter "too much of a leader, too prominent" to suit his musical and personal tastes.[34] He enjoys jogging, hiking, and mountaineering in his spare time.[13]
Naruhito is an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st century and patron of the Global Water Partnership, established by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Swedish Agency of Development.[citation needed]
For two weeks in 2012, Naruhito temporarily took charge of his father's duties while the Emperor underwent and recovered from heart bypass surgery.[35]
On 1 December 2017, the government announced that Naruhito's father, Emperor Akihito, would abdicate on 30 April 2019, and that Naruhito would become emperor as of 1 May 2019.[37][38]
Following an abdication ceremony on the afternoon of 30 April, Akihito's reign and the Heisei era continued until the end of the day. Naruhito then succeeded him as emperor at the beginning of the day on 1 May, ushering in the Reiwa era. The transition took place at midnight. Naruhito's place as emperor was formalized in a ceremony on the morning of 1 May. In his first statement as emperor, he pledged to reflect deeply on the course followed by his father, and fulfill his constitutional responsibility "as the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people of Japan".[1]
Naruhito's enthronement ceremony took place on 22 October 2019,[39] where he was duly enthroned in an ancient-style proclamation ceremony.[40]
Unlike most other constitutional monarchs, Naruhito is not even the nominal chief executive. The Constitution explicitly defines the emperor's role as entirely ceremonial and representative, without even nominal powers related to government. His few powers are ceremonial duties that he is required to perform. Even in these matters, he is bound by the requirements of the Constitution and the binding advice of the Cabinet. For instance, while he formally appoints the Prime Minister, he is required to appoint the person designated by the National Diet, without the option to decline appointment.
↑ "Enthronement ceremony for new emperor mulled for Oct.2019". Mainichi Shimbun. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017. The government is mulling scheduling the enthronement ceremony for the next emperor for October 2019, months after Crown Prince Naruhito accedes to the Imperial Throne on May 1 that year upon his father Emperor Akihito's abdication, it has been learned.
The Emperor of Japan is the head of the Imperial Family and the head of state of Japan. Under the 1947 constitution, he is defined as "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people." Historically, he is also the highest authority of the Shinto religion. In Japanese, the emperor is called Tennō, literally "heavenly sovereign" or "Emperor of God". The Japanese Shinto religion holds him to be the direct descendant of the sun goddess Amaterasu. In English, the use of the term Mikado (帝／御門) for the emperor was once common but is now considered obsolete.
Empress Kōjun, born Princess Nagako, was the wife of Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) of Japan. She was the mother of the emperor emeritus, Akihito.
Michiko is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who served as the Empress consort of Japan as the wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan reigning from 7 January 1989 to 30 April 2019.
Empress Teimei, born Sadako Kujō, was the wife of Emperor Taishō and the mother of Emperor Shōwa of Japan. Her posthumous name, Teimei, means "enlightened constancy".
Masako is the Empress of Japan as the wife of Naruhito, who ascended to the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019.
The Imperial Household Agency is an agency of the government of Japan in charge of state matters concerning the Imperial Family, and also keeping of the Privy Seal and State Seal of Japan. From around the 8th century AD up to the Second World War, it was named the Imperial Household Ministry.
Aiko, Princess Toshi is the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan.
Empress of Japan or Japanese Empress means an empress consort. The current empress consort is Empress Masako, ascending on 1 May 2019. The term can also mean a female imperial ruler.
Fumihito, Prince Akishino, Crown Prince of Japan is a member of the Japanese imperial family. He is the younger brother of Emperor Naruhito and the younger son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko. He is the heir presumptive to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Since his marriage in June 1990, he has had the title Prince Akishino and has headed his own branch of the imperial family.
Kiko, Princess Akishino, Crown Princess of Japan, is the wife of Fumihito, Crown Prince Akishino, the second son of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko.
Takahito, Prince Mikasa was a Japanese royal, member of the Imperial House of Japan. He was the fourth and youngest son of Emperor Taishō (Yoshihito) and Empress Teimei (Sadako) and was their last surviving child. His eldest brother was Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito). After serving as a junior cavalry officer in the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II, the prince embarked upon a post-war career as a scholar and part-time lecturer in Middle Eastern studies and Semitic languages.
The Gakushūin (学習院) or Peers School, also known as Gakushūjo, is a Japanese educational institution in Tokyo, originally established to educate the children of Japan's nobility. Gakushuin is composed of Kindergarten, Elementary School, Middle School, High School, and University.
From 2005 to 2012, Japan discussed the possibility of changing the laws of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne, which is currently limited to males of the Japanese Imperial Family. As of 2020, there are three people in the line of succession to the current Emperor Naruhito: Prince Akishino, Prince Hisahito, and Prince Hitachi. Prior to the birth of Prince Hisahito in 2006, the government of Japan considered changes to the Imperial Household Law to allow additional potential successors to the throne.
The Imperial House of Japan, also referred to as the Imperial Family or the Yamato Dynasty, comprises those members of the extended family of the reigning Emperor of Japan who undertake official and public duties. Under the present Constitution of Japan, the Emperor is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people". Other members of the Imperial Family perform ceremonial and social duties, but have no role in the affairs of government. The duties as an Emperor are passed down the line to their male children.
The Imperial Household Council is a ten-member body to approve the statutory matters on the Imperial House of Japan. The Council was established in 1947, when the current Imperial Household Law took effect.
In Japan, the Tōgū Palace traditionally does not refer to a single location, but to any residence of the Imperial Crown prince. As Prince Akishino, the current heir presumptive, is not a direct male descendant to the Emperor and not an Imperial Crown Prince himself, there is currently no Tōgū Palace in Japan and there will not be one until there is another Imperial Crown prince.
Abdication is the act of formally relinquishing monarchical authority. Abdications have played various roles in the succession procedures of monarchies. While some cultures have viewed abdication as an extreme abandonment of duty, in other societies, abdication was a regular event, and helped maintain stability during political succession.
Akihito is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who reigned as the 125th emperor of Japan, according to the traditional order of succession, from 7 January 1989 until 30 April 2019, Heisei era. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne upon the death of his father, Emperor Showa (Hirohito). Upon his abdication due to his age and declining health, he became Emperor Emeritus. He was succeeded by his eldest son, Naruhito, on 1 May 2019.
After 30 years on the Chrysanthemum Throne, Emperor Akihito of Japan abdicated on 30 April 2019, being the first Japanese emperor to do so since 1817. This marked the end of the Heisei era and the inception of the Reiwa era, and saw numerous festivities leading up to the accession of his son and successor, Emperor Naruhito. The Enthronement Ceremony took place on 22 October 2019. Akihito's younger son, Prince Akishino, is his brother's heir presumptive.
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