The reason lies entirely in the emperor’s privatization of the realm and the nation—a system rooted in the oppression and exploitation of the people.
In contrast, the Emperor of Japan has never sought to privatize the realm or the nation.
October 29, 2019
The following is from an essay by Mr. Sekihei, published under the title “Invincible Because of Selflessness” in a special feature of the October 22 issue of Sankei Shimbun, titled “A Miracle in World History That Prays for the People’s Happiness.”
The first time I ever witnessed Japan’s Imperial succession with my own eyes was in 1989, the first year of the Heisei era, one year after I came to Japan.
At the time, I observed the series of enthronement ceremonies on television and was deeply moved by their solemnity and by the Emperor’s dignity.
My native country, China, is said to have a longer and richer history than Japan, but today, that long history is nothing more than “the past.”
No former dynasty in China is still respected by the people, nor could any claim to have preserved a tradition of unbroken imperial succession.
By contrast, Japan’s Imperial line has continued from the founding by Emperor Jimmu to the present day—126 generations over more than 2,600 years.
What, then, is the essential difference between the Japanese Imperial family and Chinese dynasties, which lasted only a few hundred years at most?
This had long been a mystery to me, but a visit to the Kyoto Imperial Palace in my fifth year in Japan helped me begin to understand.
What struck me first upon entering the palace was its simplicity.
In terms of grandeur or opulence, to be frank, it does not begin to compare to China’s Forbidden City, the former residence of the emperors.
There was another thing that stood out.
For the residence of the highest authority in Japan, the palace felt remarkably undefended.
While the Forbidden City is surrounded by deep moats and towering walls, forming an impregnable fortress, the Kyoto Imperial Palace has virtually no defensive features.
To put it bluntly, even a petty thief could easily scale the low wall and slip inside.
Yet the Imperial Palace has stood for over 500 years, and not even during the era of civil war—the Sengoku period—was it ever attacked by any military force.
In other words, the Japanese Emperor and the Imperial Palace have never had to worry about being attacked.
Put more clearly, it means that, at least within Japan, the Emperor has no enemies.
Why is that?
The answer becomes obvious when contrasted with the Chinese model of emperorship.
Throughout history, Chinese emperors constantly lived in fear of enemies.
The massive walls surrounding the Forbidden City and the fact that emperors directly commanded the military reflect this anxiety.
And yet, no Chinese dynasty ever achieved unbroken succession.
Even the longest dynasties lasted only a few hundred years; some fell within mere decades.
Each one eventually succumbed to regional uprisings or popular revolts and was extinguished.
The fundamental reason for this was the emperor’s tendency to privatize the state—to treat the realm as personal property, and the people as objects of suppression and exploitation.
In contrast, the Japanese Emperor has never attempted to claim the realm as his own.
Nor has he ever regarded the people as subjects to be exploited or oppressed.
The Emperor has always prayed for the happiness of the people, and to them, he is something like a guardian deity—an exalted being deserving of gratitude and respect.
In other words, the Emperor is “invincible” precisely because he is “selfless,” and that may be the very reason Japan has survived as a unified nation through countless hardships.
Now more than ever, we must reflect on the history and value of the Emperor and offer our heartfelt prayers for the eternal continuity and prosperity of the Imperial Household.
In contrast, the Emperor of Japan has never sought to privatize the realm or the nation.
October 29, 2019
The following is from an essay by Mr. Sekihei, published under the title “Invincible Because of Selflessness” in a special feature of the October 22 issue of Sankei Shimbun, titled “A Miracle in World History That Prays for the People’s Happiness.”
The first time I ever witnessed Japan’s Imperial succession with my own eyes was in 1989, the first year of the Heisei era, one year after I came to Japan.
At the time, I observed the series of enthronement ceremonies on television and was deeply moved by their solemnity and by the Emperor’s dignity.
My native country, China, is said to have a longer and richer history than Japan, but today, that long history is nothing more than “the past.”
No former dynasty in China is still respected by the people, nor could any claim to have preserved a tradition of unbroken imperial succession.
By contrast, Japan’s Imperial line has continued from the founding by Emperor Jimmu to the present day—126 generations over more than 2,600 years.
What, then, is the essential difference between the Japanese Imperial family and Chinese dynasties, which lasted only a few hundred years at most?
This had long been a mystery to me, but a visit to the Kyoto Imperial Palace in my fifth year in Japan helped me begin to understand.
What struck me first upon entering the palace was its simplicity.
In terms of grandeur or opulence, to be frank, it does not begin to compare to China’s Forbidden City, the former residence of the emperors.
There was another thing that stood out.
For the residence of the highest authority in Japan, the palace felt remarkably undefended.
While the Forbidden City is surrounded by deep moats and towering walls, forming an impregnable fortress, the Kyoto Imperial Palace has virtually no defensive features.
To put it bluntly, even a petty thief could easily scale the low wall and slip inside.
Yet the Imperial Palace has stood for over 500 years, and not even during the era of civil war—the Sengoku period—was it ever attacked by any military force.
In other words, the Japanese Emperor and the Imperial Palace have never had to worry about being attacked.
Put more clearly, it means that, at least within Japan, the Emperor has no enemies.
Why is that?
The answer becomes obvious when contrasted with the Chinese model of emperorship.
Throughout history, Chinese emperors constantly lived in fear of enemies.
The massive walls surrounding the Forbidden City and the fact that emperors directly commanded the military reflect this anxiety.
And yet, no Chinese dynasty ever achieved unbroken succession.
Even the longest dynasties lasted only a few hundred years; some fell within mere decades.
Each one eventually succumbed to regional uprisings or popular revolts and was extinguished.
The fundamental reason for this was the emperor’s tendency to privatize the state—to treat the realm as personal property, and the people as objects of suppression and exploitation.
In contrast, the Japanese Emperor has never attempted to claim the realm as his own.
Nor has he ever regarded the people as subjects to be exploited or oppressed.
The Emperor has always prayed for the happiness of the people, and to them, he is something like a guardian deity—an exalted being deserving of gratitude and respect.
In other words, the Emperor is “invincible” precisely because he is “selfless,” and that may be the very reason Japan has survived as a unified nation through countless hardships.
Now more than ever, we must reflect on the history and value of the Emperor and offer our heartfelt prayers for the eternal continuity and prosperity of the Imperial Household.
