European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 18, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes David Thurber Japan eyes its new Plain wrap emperor Tokyo Many japanese sense a new Era with the death of emperor Hirohito whose reign spanned de pression militarism defeat hardship and riches and be Lieve his son Akihito May open up the Imperial system. While mourning the 87-year-old emperor they were relieved to see an end to the six turbulent decades of Hirohito s Showa Era and the smooth transition to Heisei or achieving peace the name Given emperor Akihito s reign. Some stores turned off advertising signs for two Days after Hirohito died Jan. 7, but Japan had been prepared by his Long illness and it was business a usual for most people a turning Point rather than a traumatic loss. Until Hirohito renounced his divinity after world War ii emperors were regarded As living gods. Polls in recent years indicated a Small minority of japanese still considered him one. Akihito is seen As an Ordinary person which some Welcome and others regret. Hirohito represented the Darker Side of japanese history said Gregory Clark professor of japanese studies at Sophia University in Tokyo. With the appearance of a new emperor there s afresh Start going on. You can see it particularly in the Stock Market and i think it will spread to other in the first three trading Days after the emperor died the main Index of the Tokyo Stock Exchange gained 933.91 Points or 3.1 percent. He was t a god but he was somehow different from Ordinary people said Hiroko Gotoh 22. I Don t think i be changed inside because of his death japanese Acial and culture uniqueness and to rally but i have a feeling an Era has changed in Japan. Fears were expressed that rightists would use Hirohito s death to increase Imperial Power. Akihito quickly indicated however that he would be closer to the people and perhaps let More Light through the chrysanthemum curtain surrounding the Imperial family which uses the Flower As its Symbol. In his first Public statement the new emperor wore Plain Western suit and spoke in straightforward language instead of the classic Chokuro his father used on a Simi Lar occasion in 1926. The speech and some other transition rites private in the past were televised. Akihito 55, said he would try to constantly be atone with the people and would join with them to preserve the Constitution of that was widely interpreted As a message to those inthe governing Liberal democratic party and elsewhere who have called for change in the document imposed by the United states after the japanese surrender which renounces War and gives the emperor no real political Power. It was quite significant that he said he would protect the Constitution Clark said. Normally a japanese Mon Arch would not take such a political As the first emperor who never was considered divine Akihito will have an Opportunity to shape the Imperial institution s future and define its place in society. Cabinet decisions on the transition raised questions about the government s attitude toward the Imperial system which past officials used to Foster a sense of 16 Hiro Altos support for the invasion of much of Asia. Opposition parties criticized the government decision to sponsor portions of Hirohito s funeral scheduled feb. 24, and two other transition rites linked to the shinto religion. They said sponsorship might violate constitutional separation of religion and state. Several families who protested government Man dated school memorials to Hirohito by keeping their children Home reported receiving death threats. The shinto origin of the rites illustrates the close ties Between the former state religion based in nature and the emperor who is declared by myth to be a direct descendant of the religion s Sun goddess. Polls indicate most japanese support the current Imperial system which defines the emperor As the Symbol of the state and the Unity of the people but not head of state. People who want to restore Imperial divinity an increase the Monarch s role As spiritual Leader find themselves with a new emperor who will never be come a living god because he is too human said Kenichiro Embon senior editor of Asahi journal a leading Liberal news weekly. Why should such an Ordinary person become an emperor he said. Now is a Good time for us to Start thinking about that and about All aspects of the Impe rial system including whether we need the system at Clark commented i wonder whether the Ultra nationalists will be Able to maintain their interest in a pacifist groups on both the left and right identify the Impe rial system with militarism and nationalism. What i fear is that an emperor without Hirohito s popularity might cause the Imperial system to become More Remote from the people and rightists might use Force to try to bring the system Back into prominence a senior politician of the governing party said private Akihito s conduct before becoming emperor already has inched open the doors of the secretive Imperial household Agency which oversees Royal affairs. His father was tutored by War heroes chosen by court chamberlains. Akihito studied with Ordinary Stu dents and was tutored by american pacifist Elizabeth Gray Vining who is said to have Given him a sense of the Equality of All people. He is the first japanese Monarch to select his own wife and chose a commoner with a Western style Edu cation. Akihito and Empress Michiko raised their three children themselves ending the Imperial practice of separating children from parents. News accounts said Akihito and Michiko frequently have been at Odds with the Imperial household Agency. Reforming the Imperial household Agency is the most serious problem facing the new emperor said Takeshi Mazawa ombudsman of the conservative yom Iuri Japan s largest newspaper. Japan won t Beable to move fully into the 21st Century under the Agency s current associated press Hideo Kishida emperor Likely to increase Contact with people Tokyo emperor Akihito s ascension to the chrysanthemum throne upon the death of his father emperor Hir Phi to is Likely to result in a closer relation ship Between the japanese people and the Imperial family. Hirohito began his reign in 1926 As a living god who was neither seen nor heard by commoners until after Japan s defeat in world War ii. Even after renouncing his divinity and travelling the country to meet with his subjects in the immediate postwar years Hirohito remained for the most part a Distant figure ensconced behind the Moats and Stone ramparts of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Akihito in contrast takes the throne As a Mere mortal his role relegated by the country s 1947 Constitution to that of a figurehead a Symbol of the nation s Unity. While he was still Crown Prince Akihito expressed his support for main Taining the emperor As a Symbol with no political role in the country. One distinct feature of the japanese Imperial family is that there have been Only a few extremely Short eras in Japan s Long history that the Imperial family held Sway Over politics Akihito said in 1984. He said the emperor has always been More of a Symbol than anything else adding that it should stay that Way. Opinion polls continue to show that the vast majority of japanese sup port maintaining the emperor s role As a Symbol of National Unity. At the sometime however polls conducted by the Asahi Shimun a major National news paper indicate Many japanese feel Little attachment to the Imperial family. A 1986 poll by the newspaper found that 37 percent of the respondents Felt no attachment to the Imperial family. Fifty one percent said they Felt some Affinity for the family and 12 percent gave Var ious other responses. Imperial chamberlains said Akihito Crown Prince at the time was visibly pained by the Survey results and viewed them As evidence that the Imperial family should meet often with members of the Public. In his Public appearances Akihito frequently attempted to mingle with people making Small talk and shaking hands to avoid turning the encounter into a for Mal ritual. Now that he is emperor however it i Likely that increased police Security will make such efforts More difficult. But along As the emperor and members of the Royal family continue to conduct them selves As they have in the past it is Likely the distance Between them and the peo ple will be reduced leading More Japa Nese to feel a sense of closeness to the Imperial family. Not everyone in Japan agrees that such a relationship is desirable arguing that the emperor will lose a certain amount of dignity if the Public become too closely acquainted with the Imperial family. But this new emperor shows All signs of rejecting any notion of Royal aloofness preferring to be linked to the people through their Affinity for him rather than by some sense of obligation based on the dignity of the title. This is in keeping with the demands of the times and More importantly with what the people really yearn for. Editors note this report from the Asahi news service was distributed by the new York times news service
