How do Japanese people view the royal family?
The Japanese people are not monolithic.
Some worship them. Some hate them. Others don't hate them but hate the idea of the system in which Emperor reign. But most of us are indifferent.
Akihito is progressive.
Some of Japanese progressive people like my history teacher at high school and members of communist party are opposed to the idea of Emperor system in Japan.
Akihito does not go that far.
Akihito has gone out of his way....to acknowledge atrocity Japanese troops committed during the war.
So have J
apanese Prime Ministers of Japan.
Akihito is just reiterating the opinion of the majority of Japanese people and Prime ministers.
Akihito covers everything from Japan's responsibility for the war and the fact The constition of Japan is not imposed upon Japan by the outside forces.
Regarding the question on what events have left me with special impressions over the past eighty years, I would say that what stands out most in my mind is the Second World War. Japan was already at war with China by the time I reached school age. The following year, on December 8th, Japan also entered into war with the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, in addition to China. I was in my last year of elementary school when the war ended. About 3.1 million Japanese people are said to have lost their lives in that war. It still pains me deeply to think that so many people, who must have had various dreams and hopes for the future, lost their lives at a young age.
After the war, Japan was occupied by the allied forces, and based on peace and democracy as values to be upheld, established the Constitution of Japan, undertook various reforms and built the foundation of Japan that we know today. I have profound gratitude for the efforts made by the Japanese people at the time who helped reconstruct and improve the country devastated by the war. I also feel that we must not forget the help extended to us in those days by Americans with an understanding of Japan and Japanese culture. Today, more than sixty years since the end of the war, we have seen that, in the face of major disasters such as the Great East Japan Earthquake, there are so many people in Japan who value the bonds between people, can deal with various situations calmly, and work hard towards reconstruction. I have found this most reassuring.
80年の道のりを振り返って，特に印象に残っている出来事という質問ですが，やはり最も印象に残っているのは先の戦争のことです。私が学齢に達した時には中国との戦争が始まっており，その翌年の12月8日から，中国のほかに新たに米国，英国，オランダとの戦争が始まりました。終戦を迎えたのは小学校の最後の年でした。この戦争による日本人の犠牲者は約310万人と言われています。前途に様々な夢を持って生きていた多くの人々が，若くして命を失ったことを思うと，本当に痛ましい限りです。
戦後，連合国軍の占領下にあった日本は，平和と民主主義を，守るべき大切なものとして，日本国憲法を作り，様々な改革を行って，今日の日本を築きました。戦争で荒廃した国土を立て直し，かつ，改善していくために当時の我が国の人々の払った努力に対し，深い感謝の気持ちを抱いています。また，当時の知日派の米国人の協力も忘れてはならないことと思います。戦後60年を超す歳月を経，今日，日本には東日本大震災のような大きな災害に対しても，人と人との絆きずなを大切にし，冷静に事に対処し，復興に向かって尽力する人々が育っていることを，本当に心強く思っています。
It might be less ambiguous than Obama's statement that
"death fell from the sky " but nothing so political.
I don't think this controversy on whether the Constitution was imposed is important. It has little to do with whether Japan should revise the Constitution.
Whether it is imposed or not, if there is something wrong with the post-war Constitution, you should change it. If not, not.
Japan established the new Constipation after the war--There is no doubt about it.
But Akihito does not say that it is not imposed; he does not say whether the U.S just helped or practically forced Japan to establish the Constitution that U.S. wrote.
Akihito is not an independent political actor and he is painfully aware of it. His speech is worded so carefully not to cause any political controversies.
Japanese monarchy has a long history : it has been able to keep its authority because it has kept itself away from the political power and political controversies at the time.
Nippon Kaigi wants to put the Emperor back at the center of the power.
There is no grounds to say that.
They might revere the Emperor but they don't go that far.
According to the draft they made ,
Chapter 1 The Emperor
Article 1.(National Character) The Nation of Japan is a constitutional monarchy in which the Emperor shall be the symbol of permanence of the State and of the unity of the People.
Article 2 (Head of State) The Emperor shall be the Head of State and represent Japan.
Article 3 (Succession to the Imperial Throne) The Imperial Throne shall be succeeded to by paternal descendants of the Imperial line in accordance with the Imperial House Law.
Article 4.(Authority of the Emperor, Assistance and Responsibility of the Cabinet.) The Emperor shall perform acts in state and public affairs as provided for in this Constitution.
2. Acts of the Emperor in matters of state and public affairs shall require the assistance of the Cabinet, which shall assume responsibility for the same.
Even in the draft for the Constitution made by Nippon Kaigi, the Emperor is a symbol with no political power. Politically he does what he was told by the cabinet and the cabinet is responsible for what he does.
As long as it does not affect public interest
Have you ever studied the law?
Human rights are not absolute categories. It means that each person is entitled to exercise his or her rights in a way that does not interfere with rights of other people or legitimate public interests. For example, freedom of speech does not mean that one can speak about any topic at any time and place. Freedom of press does not allow a person to intentionally publish false, harmful information about another person. However, individual rights are not subordinate to common good. In complex, democratic societies such as the United States, the primary goal is striking the proper balance between individual rights and public interest.
Shyukanshintyou said three years ago the same thing NHK did.....
Even Emperor cannot live forever. Tokyo Olympic is four years away. What if he died during the Olympic. He does not want to give trouble.
You can change the law for the Emperor and revise the constitution at the same time.
related
American conspiracy theorist thinks Akhihito is trying to stop the revision of the constitution.
a man of conscience a man who traveled to the south pacific to atone for war dead.
Abe also visited South Pacific to atone for the war dead.
Akihito's job is to atone for the war dead
That 's traditional Emperor's job. Japanese emperor's job is to pray--to pray for the Japan's prosperity and the war dead.
Japanese constitution already allows Japanese land, sea and air forces which are already world class to defend Japan
Japanese Constitution DOES NOT allow land, sea and air forces
Article 9. In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
Some scholars put a spin on it and they say the self-defense forces we now have , which are world class, ARE NOT War potential.
This is ridiculous.
That's why, in view of constitutionalism, other people say we should either change the article 9 or abolish the self-defense forces. Since the latter option is impractical, they say we should opt for the former,
(Jake Adelstein Mari Yamamoto Alexis Dudden)
