What Happened To The Japanese Emperor After WW2 | Asia's Monarchies | Real Royalty

Asia's

monarchies

defy history in a modern era of democracy. Worlds of tradition, mystery and ritual that command fascination and respect like never before. Monarchs are symbols of continuity. Living connections to the past that are often loved and hated in equal measure. Mythology is at the heart of Asia's monarchy. Remarkable survival Nowhere is this more true than in the land of

what

is said to be the world's oldest monarchy, Japan, in the world's most modern city, there is a man kept at arm's length from the people and the media. communication, little is known about

what

happens behind the closed doors of the imperial palace the

emperor

of japan has always been clouded by secrecy and myth the participation of the monarchy in the second world war remains one of the most controversial issues in modern japan i think he should have been hanged many believe that

emperor

hirohito was instrumental to the

japanese

war effort the emperor's position has remained controversial over the last 30 years the extreme right in japan has appropriated the emperor as the ultimate symbol of Japanese nationalism the emperor system has been at the heart of Japanese government for millennia how it has survived and As it is so controversial, what future does the monarchy have in Japan?

What does worry me is that the royal family will wither on the vine. The emperor of Japan is an enigma. The Japanese claim that he is the oldest monarchy in the world. It is said that the first emperor Jimmu. They have ruled since 660 BC. The mythology surrounding the Emperor stems from his origins Emperor Jimmu is said to descend directly from the sun goddess Amaterasu until 1945 the Emperor was believed to be divine his immutable decisions his absolute power to commemorate former Emperor Hirohito's speech that ended the Second World War on August 15 of each year. 150,000 people gather to pay their respects to fallen soldiers at Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine.

It is the only place in Japan where the very ideas of the emperor and Japan's wartime past are questioned. Yasukuni is a very complex place. The complex theme and place is an imperial shrine there is an imperial imperial insignia are very evident there the emperor still sends offerings which, as you know, are made to the shrine even though the emperor renounced his divinity after the Second World War there is sectors of Japanese society who still believe they must live and die by what they call the sun of the foreign sky. A verbal and physical battle takes place between right and left over the issue of the emperor.

Many Japanese believe that former Emperor Hirohito should have abdicated or at least apologized for the war, so y'all. Last year, the left wing held a demonstration against the emperor's shrine and the open celebration of Japan's war past, yasukuni, as a whole not only glorifies those individuals who went to fight the war, but glorifies the entire enterprise of Japan's imperial wars during the For an entire century, yasukuni is a Shinto shrine, Japan's national religion based on ancestor worship, enshrining the two and a half million soldiers in yasukuni as gods, people effectively worship rather than simply commemorate fallen soldiers, and the emperor is seen as the head priest of the feared right-wing Shinto Yasukoni and the emperor represent the two most sacred aspects of contemporary Japanese;

It is the celebration of the myth of the emperor and the open and extravagant militarism of the nationalists in yasukuni that inflames non-nationalist feelings, please imagine. You know the soldiers here in Natchez, you know, nice parties, you know, wearing these uniforms, you know, and doing demonstrations in the middle of the rain and celebrating, you know, so Hitra was a great man. This is happening in Japan because the Japanese empire didn't do it. Not taking responsibility before the world. The Japanese monarchy is hostage to its past. Its very existence is in danger due to the role Hirohito supposedly played in World War II.

Most Japanese people don't know how they know, especially Hirohito took on a role. by invading

asia

-pacific countries and evoking the second world war and killing more than 20 million innocent people to question the role of the emperor or yasukuni can lead to retaliation by the right or alleged close associations with the

japanese

mafia, the foreign yakuza, like in the People in the UK discuss whether we should continue with the royal family or not even the BBC broadcasts about it, but here in Japan, like the public broadcasting system NHK and major newspapers, they don't even discuss the role of the emperor system.

Most historians now believe that the emperor became central. to the japanese war effort after the war hirohito was pardoned and allowed to remain on the throne by the american occupation forces from this time the emperor's continued existence has been controversial even as memories of the war fade how could the The emperor survived in Japanese society for over two and a half thousand years. The answers lie deep in the past with the creation of a mythology that directly connected the emperor to the birth of Japan. The emperor received a divine ancestry and with it his place as chief priest.

From Shintoism, the story goes that the Isanagi gods in Isanami created Japan by dipping their swords into the oceans. The drops formed the islands of Japan. Isanaki met the gods of thunder and to cleanse himself, he bathed and created smaller gods with the water, a lunar guard. from his right eye a sun goddess was born from his left eye and an ocean god from his nose these new gods received control of the universe from these gods it is the sun goddess amaterasu who was most revered in the land of the rising sun tells the story legend that she had a terrible argument with her brother the ocean guard and retreated to a cave thus plunging the world into darkness when she hid the other guards held a festival outside the cave and attracted amaterasu with their dance.

It is claimed that the first emperor of japan jimmu was born here in takachiho gorge as a direct descendant of amaterasu in shintoism only the emperor and his direct descendants can carry out the most important rituals originating from the history of bringing the light back to the world, therefore, the emperor was seen as divine and the chief priest of Shintoism, an animistic cult that has no scriptures or a single god, but worships nature and ancestors, believing that the gods inhabit animals, rocks and rivers, almost certainly existed and was the first king-like figure to unify the country under a single ruler.

There are many myths surrounding the idea of ​​imperial lineage and that is perfectly clear, and erasing those myths is made more difficult by the fact that the imperial house will not allow these excavations to take place in former imperial tombs. So some people say, well, maybe the Japanese royal family could have originated in Korea at the beginning. Without access to those imperial tombs, it is extremely difficult to understand the prehistory of the successive emperors after Jimmy who were most closely associated with Buddhism when it began to take hold in the country, but it was their association with the rituals of Shintoism and these supposed origins. divine which ensured this special role within Japanese society.

The emperors ruled Japan until the 12th century, when the country was taken over by shogun warlords descended from powerful clans who ruled the country as de facto monarchs for the next 700 years. The emperor was regularly forced to remain in Kyoto. The emperor continued as the chief priest of Shinto while the military strongmen dominated the country the emperor still provides legitimacy to the shogun um the shogun requires the fact that they are now approved by the emperor, that may be in a sense merely symbolic because the emperor has no power, but actually acting against the emperor and simply presenting the emperor as a figure would possibly arouse opposition, was a brutal action.

During the period of Japanese history between the 13th and 16th centuries, Japan was almost constantly at war as rival clans fought for control. In the 19th century, Japan was devastated by famine and economic desperation as a result of both the mismanagement of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a deep distrust of other countries, thus isolating Japan from international trade. In 1853, the American commander Matthew Perry came to Japan threatening war unless the shoguns opened diplomatic and trade relations with the US through contact with other empire-building countries who often demanded to see the emperor. The shoguns learned how important monarchs were. in foreign lands, the shogun's opponents overthrew the tokugawa elite and then had to decide how the country would be governed, they decided to use the emperor as a symbol, considering that Japan has often been ruled by people behind the scenes, it's a uh , no he does not have to be the nominal ruler to be the

real

power the powers behind the throne decided to reinvent the emperor using the ancient stories of his divine origins in 1867 supposedly the 122nd descendant of emperor jimmu was named emperor meiji from where the court moved imperial from kyoto to tokyo and in the space of just a few years meiji transformed, shedding his traditional shinto robes and adopting the insignia of his western peers if japan is to have a strong sense of national identity and it needs it because, after Everything, we are dealing with is a country that in some aspects is similar to Italy and Germany, it is going through a process of national unification, which is why it needs a strong national identity and the majority elite clearly believes that the idea can be located in the figure of the emperor. that the emperor was divine descended from amaterasu and only they could perform important shinto rituals began to take hold once again in 1869 after only one year in power emperor meiji opened the yasukuni shrine it was a powerfully symbolic moment in history Japanese the Yasakuni Shrine is important because it is again linked to the idea of ​​national identity, I mean, here you have a Shinto shrine that is opening in the imperial capital, Tokyo, where those who die in war are honored to achieve restoration Meiji and then from that point on, the war dead are honored.

Japan prospered. Under Emperor Meiji and at the end of the 19th century, the Japanese decided to demonstrate their new confidence in military power. Japan surprised the world by defeating China in 1895, but a much greater victory was on the horizon. Japan then established itself as a major power when it defeated Russia in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, so at the beginning of World War I Japan was a major power in the world. He had achieved that situation and the appetite grew in the China that ate Taiwan sowed Japan. and began an era of Asian expansion in the emperor's name that would last the next 50 years with his military successes.

The cult of the emperor was at its peak in the early 20th century; However, in 1912 Emperor Meiji had become seriously ill with stomach cancer and on July 30, a shocked and distraught nation was informed of his death through propaganda and grandiloquence. Meiji and the powerful figures behind the throne had established the emperor as once again the spiritual soul of the nation and created the beginnings of an Asian empire. This would lead inexorably to the Second World War and the controversial alleged participation of his grandson Hirohito in the Nationalist war effort. Before he died, Meiji had established the Imperial House Law which introduced the rule of primogeniture, only the emperor's firstborn son could succeed on the throne of the chrysanthemum.

It would be a

real

obstacle for future generations who would not be able to have a child, since Meiji only had one child. The imperial court had no choice but to make Crown Prince Yoshihito the Taisho Emperor. It is believed that his reign would last only 14 years when he was a child. contracted meningitis and this caused brain damage as he grew into adulthood with Emperor Meiji, one got the sense that there was at least one figure at the center of the Japanese government who had long experience in office and who perhaps could provide advice or be a figure. to consult on important issues that are missing in the Thai showbiz period, here you have a man who is incapable of playing that role in 1916, his health behavior had become so erratic that royal officials began to think about their succession.

He never lived up to his father's reputation, but he somewhat surpassed it by producing four healthy sons, the eldest of whom Hirohito was being groomed for power. The imperial house decided to let Prince Hirohito travel through Europe to parade this healthy future emperor before his Western imperial rivals - a tour that drastically changed Hirohito's outlook for an impressionable young man who grew up in an extremelyprotected in Japan. go on a trip that takes you to Western Europe. It would certainly be a revelation, so that and certainly him. refers to this later in his life and the importance this had to him in creating his worldview and his role within the Japanese political system.

Hirohito was also encouraged to travel through his own country in 1925, after a long illness, emperor. Taisho eventually died and the young Hirohito formally acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne. Hirohito took the name Showa, meaning enlightened peace, a terrible irony as Japan would embark on the most terrible period of war it had ever known. The Japanese military began an aggressive period of expansion as Manchuria went from a protectorate to a full-fledged colony and moved into mainland China. Some historians believe that the emperor had no power to stop this expansion. His role, as stated in the Meiji constitution, was not to involve himself in political or military affairs.

This remains one of the most controversial issues to this day some believe that it was prime minister tojo who was responsible for pushing japan into war there is no doubt that there were rebel elements in the japanese military who were pushing for an empire in throughout Asia and they were impossible to control, the emperor was supposed to abide by the constitution and accept the advice given to him, which was his interpretation of whether that was whether someone braver, more independent, could have made a decision, a different decision. , I don't know, but he played his role like he liked it, a man who did, by 1941 Japan had expanded into most of Southeast Asia and the year ended with the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor the question is whether the emperor knew or approved of the attack.

Many people in Japan say, "Oh, the emperor is also a victim of Japanese militarism," but I don't believe it. He can be seen when the Japanese army is armed. took over Singapore, which was a very keystone in Southeast Asia in the world, you know, wild map, you can see that he was riding on the white horse in front of the imperial palace, you know, among millions of people or celebrating Singapore Okay, the Battle of Halfway turned out to be a turning point in the war and Japan was to suffer a series of losses in key naval battles ending in 1945 with the American invasion of the Japanese mainland.

Two atomic bombs dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima proved decisive in ending the Japanese war effort in the Abroad, clearly the situation had become unsustainable after the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, at that time they did not know what to do, how could they These, these, these, generals, admirals and advisors, how could they make a decision that they couldn't? He didn't make a decision, someone else had to take responsibility. He pushed it up on August 15, 1945. Hirohito announced to his subjects by radio that the surrender of Japanese forces had failed. There's a famous story about, you know, the emperor gave a speech on August 15th. radio but it was not a live broadcast, it was recorded the day before or several days before it was smuggled out of the emperor's imperial residence in a basket of women's underwear that was sent to the laundry because the militarists were still They resisted the idea of ​​surrendering under General MacArthur.

The Americans occupied Japan and decided to retain the emperor as an institution. People could join together and, controversially, make him immune from prosecution. Many people in Japan say, "Oh, the emperor is also a victim of Japanese militarism." but I don't believe it, he is the first cream, now the first most important war criminal during the second world war and also 50 years of invasion of the

asia

pacific countries, general macarthur summoned hirohito to meet with him to discuss the future organization of Japan and its Some believe that he already knew that the Americans would spare his life.

Others who feared for his life. Americans certainly had a chance in 1945 to get rid of the monarchy, but they didn't. They had very good reasons not to do so. They, or at least General Macarthur, were of the firm opinion that if the reforms the Americans wanted to introduce were going to be sustained, they needed a legitimation tool, they needed the emperor, just as the mainstream elite had needed the Meiji emperor in the 1970s. from 1870. There are scars. that still rot in Japan since World War II, the decision to grant Hirohito immunity from prosecution makes the emperor a controversial figure, even today it is difficult to imagine any other country in the world where, 64 years after the end of a war, these issues remain unresolved.

I think one of the main reasons these issues remain unresolved is that the emperor's role and responsibility in the war was never clarified; he is left vague and intentionally vague if he does not openly acknowledge that he led the country into a devastating, tremendously destructive and senseless situation. war um so where do you go where do you go from there how do you start that conversation don't you start that conversation only seven people were executed for leading the Japanese war effort, including prime minister hideki tojo here? being slapped on the head in a moment of strange dark humor during the trial, but it was actually Tojo who was guilty during the war.

Kamikaze pilots sacrificed themselves for the emperor and soldiers fought and died in the emperor's name, in perhaps the most important event of the century. two thousand five hundred year history of the emperor americans persuaded hirohito to renounce his divinity and embrace democracy on january 1, 1946 a shocked japanese population was told that their monarch was a mere man and not a god the basics very unique because I think in human history only Hirohito said I am a human being I think the Americans had correctly anticipated that this was what Japan he needed something that Reducing the ore with which the emperor was held in the country would help undermine the nationalism that had led to the war.

Japan had to be rebuilt from scratch, so the American occupiers set out to create a new constitution in 1946 based on the emperor and the new national legislature and in Article 9 a declaration against the idea of ​​war Japan has a constitution that renounces to war is one of the few countries in the world that has a constitution like that and that constitution has maintained that idea that principle of not getting involved in wars of aggression for 64 years since the end of the Second World War and I think the reason why The fact that this has been the case is because the Japanese recognized not only that the war was wrong but that they had a moral responsibility for perpetrating a war that caused so much damage and devastation throughout Asia and throughout the world.

The constitution promised democracy and the emperor would continue As the living symbol of the nation but without significant powers, more importantly, although the emperor would remain the chief priest of Shintoism when he was young, Hirohito called himself a bird. In a gilded cage due to the stifling influence of the body that controls the royal family, the agency of the imperial household now experienced a degree of freedom unthinkable before the war, although these public appearances were strictly directed Hirohito remained emperor for the next 43 years. as a symbol of continuity and nationality, while a subject set out to rebuild the country, but the problems of the war and his participation in it were never addressed, there was no truth and reconciliation process in the initial post-war period and it is delayed and it trickles down little by little, so we start hearing stories about the rape of King Nan, we start hearing stories about, you know, chemical warfare in China, we start hearing stories about the comfort women, Japan's war crimes. and the lack of justice.

For the victims it remains as controversial as Hirohito's alleged involvement in the war. My opinion would be that it would have been best for the imperial institution for him to advocate at that time. I think it probably would have been a useful cleansing moment for Japan. I see that for him that would perhaps be calling into question the imperial institution as a whole, any abdication would be too much of an admission of guilt, it wouldn't just be a personal fault, it would be a fault for the institution as a whole and I think that's why They didn't bite the bullet, but I think it probably would have been better to have bitten the world given that Hirohito was tainted by the war effort that Japan needed to look beyond him to the future Emperor Crown Prince Akihito, who he was raised with during the war. and as his father feared for his life during the American invasion, it was to turn him into a lifelong pacifist.

In post-war Japan, the royal family was rarely seen except on state visits and seemed to like spending time alone. at the imperial palace in Tokyo. With its enormous gardens, an oasis of calm in a hectic city of 15 million towards the end of his reign, an event had a lasting impact on Hirohito in 1978. Yasukuni is believed to have independently consecrated criminals of class A war executed during the Tokyo trials. When Japan's neighbors in the United States learned of this, there was outrage and in response Hirohito, who had made annual pilgrimages since he was a child, decided to no longer visit Yasukuni.

In 1989, after 67 years on the throne, Hirohito died leaving the problems of the Second World War behind. and his alleged responsibility for it was not resolved. His son Akihito acceded to the throne in 1990, becoming the High Emperor and has spent his entire life preaching peace in a sense that seems as if he were making amends for the crimes his father committed. an extraordinary effort to go abroad and be the public face of Japan in a contrite manner, apologizing, not outright apologizing, but making statements acknowledging the pain and suffering that was caused by Japan during World War II at home, The movements and behavior of the monarchy is still largely controlled by the Imperial House Agency, the government body designated to look after the royal family, and, like his father Hirohito before him, the Iha often restricts the freedom of emperor akihito tonight, however, the iha has come to symbolize a secret, undemocratic bureaucracy that will do anything to continue the imperial male lineage when akihito's daughter-in-law failed to produce a son to continue the dynasty pressure from the iha On her to conceive it became unbearable the future of the monarchy hung by a thread Naruhito was educated at Oxford and his wife Masako graduated from Harvard.

Both had little time for the traditions of the imperial court. They had a girl, but making her empress would break the male line that was said to have lasted two and a half thousand years and to be against the constitution Misako previously a successful diplomatic career fell into a long and severe depression in 2004 her husband let her know that his wife's depression was the people's responsibility when it became clear that Masako in his fragile condition could never have one. The sons-in-law began to discuss whether his daughter could succeed to the throne or, more poignantly, whether the emperor's system should end for complete.

The succession crisis has been resolved, but Emperor Meiji's primogeniture rule will be broken when Prince Hisahito becomes emperor. I think it is very unfortunate that the Japanese constitution was not the Japanese imperial succession law that was not changed to allow a princess to serve in the role of empress. So what is the future of the chrysanthemum throne? Is he doomed to irrelevance or will he continue as the symbol of the nation that he is? an issue that divides modern Japanese society we have to make Japan a republic as soon as possible, not within 100 years, we have to do it because the emperor system is very dangerous, of course, today the imperial institution somehow seems like an anachronism, um, you can.

I can't imagine it being very relevant to ordinary Japanese life, and yet it's still there as a symbol of continuity. It is the empress's position as the high priest of Shintoism that gives her a unique place in society similar to the Pope in the Catholic religion. countries and which may prove to be the saving institutions as long as Shinto remains the national religion, the emperor should feel that he has a role to fulfill for the state. Hinduism is not a religion, it is a cult. I am saying that Shintoism is an asconi. cult yes and the emperor is so embarrassed the head of the cult I think it is an issue that all

royalty

faces how does

royalty

fit into modern life with modern concepts?

The emperor of the world's oldest monarchy has become more than anything else a symbol of the nation but also of the past, a past that is very much part of the soul.In Japan, nationalists have recently taken over the emperor to remind Japan of its history before the nation surrendered, but so much has changed since 1945, Japan will never be able to turn back. The emperor's position as the spiritual heart of Japan seems secure for the moment.