Figure 1.--Here we see the Japanese royal family in 1967. Crown Prince Akhito of Japan with his wife (Michiki) and their two sons, Prince Naruhito (1960- ) and Prince Fumihito (1965- ). The boys in this photo would thus be respectively 7 and 2 years old. The photograph shows the royal couple bidding their two sons goodbye before embarking on a good will tour of Latin America (May 1967). Notice Prince Naruhito. In this and other photographs, he seems to take a patient rather bemused attitude toward his little brother.
The Crown Prince Akihito was born in 1933. Emperor Akihito acceded the throne on January 7, 1989, upon the death of his father, the Emperor Hirohito (posthumously Emperor Showa). Akihito was born in Tokyo on December 23, 1933. Emperor Akihito is the eldest son of Eperor Hirohito and Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager Nagako. He was born Akihito Tsugonimaya in Tokyo. I have no information on his childhood or what he wore as a boy. Akihito graduated from Gakushuin Upper Secondary School in 1952. He studied at the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Politics and Economics of Gakushuin University until 1956. In addition, he received private lectures on a number of subjects by eminent professionals, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In 1952 he was officially proclaimed heir to the throne. In 1953, His Majesty the Emperor (then His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince Akihito) made a six-month tour of 14 countries in North America and Western Europe. The tour centred on his visit to London as Emperor Showa's representative at the coronation of Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II of the Great Britain. Akihito married a commoner, Michiko Shoda, in 1959.
Parents
Emperor Akihito is the eldest son of Emperor Hirohito and Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager Nagako.
Prince Akihito was born in Tokyo on December 23, 1933. He was born Akihito Tsugonimaya in Tokyo. We know very little about his childhood. Despite the currentls of ultra-nationalism and anti-Westernism, the royal family seems to have adopted Western fashion, even the Emperess. We are not sure to what extent this affected how the children were raised. The experience of the children must have been different than Hirohito's own childhood which was affected by the disability of his father. We do know that Prince Akihito lived through World War II, although he was a school boy. Emperor Hirohito stayd in Tokyo even during the bombing, expressing a desire to share the suffering of his subjects. Of course the Imperial Family had access to a bomb shelter and most of his subjects did not. After the War the status of the monarchy was significantly changed. This must have affected the imperial court and his upbringing, but we do not have details at this time.
We have only limited information on what Prince Akihito wore as a boy. Our assessment is entirely based on the photographic record, portraits of the Prince and his family. We see family portraits with the children waring traditional outfits, but the Emperor and Emperess wearing western clothes--which must have sent a signal and suggests a clear orientation toward the West. We notice Prince Akihito wearing traditional clothes for different special events. One portrait shows him at age 5 years wearing traditional clothes for the shishigosan festival. As a little boy we see and his brither wearing several differentbsailor suit outfits. We also see him wearing stylish button-on short pants outfits. As far as we can tell, these are the outfits he wore for every day. This was at a time when many Japanese people, especially country people still wore traditional clothes. We do know that he attended regular schools and wore school uniforms. The school had a cadet-style uniform.
We do not yet have many details on Prince Akihito's early education. We know that he actually attended schools rather being educated by tutors. This process began with his grandfather Emperor Yoshihito, in at least a pro-forma way. His father Emperor Hirohito did actually study, although a special class was carefully prepared for him.
Thus it was not a departure from tradition for Prince Akihito to attend a school--despite the public ideology of divinity at the time. What we do not know if a special class was prepared for him as was the caseof his father.
The school chosen for him was the same as the one attended by his grandfather and father--Gakushuin Primary School in Shinjuku Ward. Gakushuin was established for the imperial and noble families by the Emperor Komei in Kyoto (1847). It became known as the "Peers School". The school moved to Tokyo in the early years of the Meiji Restoration (1877). We believe that Prince Akihito entered the school at age 6 about 1939. He attended during World War II. We have photographs of the Prince his school uniforms about 1941 (figure 1). Gakushuin had acadet-style uniform. We are not sure what the school did during the American bombing campaign which destroyed much of Tokyo.
Emperor Hirohito refused to leave the Imperial Palace in Tokyo even after the air raids began. He stated that he desired to share the hardships of his subjects.
As a teenager, Prince Akihito must have observed the huge change in Japanese society and nature of the monarchy as Japan surrendered and the American occupation commenced. This would have been especially true hafter his father renounced his divinity (1946). After the War as part of the dempcritization of Japan, Gakushuin adopted a more open enrollment policy. Akihito graduated from Gakushuin Upper Secondary School in 1952. He studied at the Department of Politics in the Faculty of Politics and Economics of Gakushuin University until 1956. In addition, he received private lectures on a number of subjects by eminent professionals, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. In 1952 he was officially proclaimed heir to the throne.
American-European Tour
His Majesty the Emperor (then His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince Akihito) in 1953 made a six-month tour of 14 countries in North America and Western Europe. The tour centred on his visit to London
as Emperor Showa's representative at the coronation of Her Majesty
the Queen Elizabeth II of the Great Britain.
Marriage
Akihito married a commoner, Michiko Shoda (1959). Miss Michiko Shoda, the eldest daughter of Mr. Hidesaburo Shoda, the Former President of the Nishiin Flour Manufacturing Company. She was born in Tokyo on October 20, 1934. The Shodas are a scholarly family that has produced two recipients of the Order of Cultural Merit, the highest academic honour conferred by the Emperor upon distinguished scholars. Michiko was avery accomplished younf woman. She entered the University of the Sacred Heart ( Seishin Jyoshi Daigaku ) (1953). She specialized- in English literature in the Department of Foreign Languages and Literature. At her graduation ceremony, she was valedictorian of her class.
There was a problem, however, whem Miciko and Akihito became serious--she had a Catholic background. The announcement of Crown Prince Akihito's engagement and marriage to Michiko Shōda encountered opposition from traditionalist groups because of Michikol's Roman Catholic background. She was never baptized,but was educated in Catholic schools and shared the faith of her parents. There were probably correct rumors Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After Empress Kōjun fied (2000), Reuters reported that she was she one of the major opponents of her son's marriage. And thatbafter the marriage she had severely upset her daughter-in-law and grandchildren vocally accusing her of not being suitable for her son (1960s). The Imperial Household Council, headed by the Prime Minister and composed of representatives of the Imperial Family, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the House of Councilors, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, and others, gave their unanimous consent to the marriage, which was warmly welcomed by the nation.
Royal Couple Travels
Their Majesties since their marriage, have paid official visits to 37 countries at the invitation of their governments. They have enjoyed
listening to talks and reports, or having discussions with scholars,
artists, and other experts in various fields as well as young people, such
as the Japan Overseas Co-operation Volunteers. Their Majesties also
have attended various national and international ceremonies and
meetings held in Tokyo and other parts of the country. In addition,
they made it a rule to travel out of the capital several times a year to
observe local affairs and to come into direct contact with all sorts of
people in various parts of the country. They often visited social welfare
institutions, industrial establishments, and academic institutes; they
also attended various art exhibitions and charity concerts.
Accension
In September 1987, the then Crown Prince took over the duties of the failing Emperor Showa, which included the opening of the Diet and, with the future Her Majesty the Empress Michiko, attending the autumn session of the National Sports Festival, National Arbor Day, and other such functions. When his father, Emperor Hirohito, died on 7 January 1989, Prince Akhito assumed the throne and officially became the 125th Japanese monarch on 12 November 1990. The Emperor, once considered divine but no longer, still commands the reverence and respect of the Japanese people. Akihito succeeded to the throne on January 7, 1989, upon the death of his father, the Emperor Hirohito (posthumously Emperor Showa). The new Emperor designated his reign Heisei ("achieving peace"). Emperor Akihito acceded the throne on January 7, 1989, The new Emperor, holding his first public audience, 2 days after ascending the throne, vowed to fulfil his responsibilities. "I pledge I will always be at one with the people and uphold the Constitution," he said. The Emperor indicated he would follow the footsteps of his father and keep in mind the late Emperor's wish to be with the people. Expressing his hopes for further progress in the nation's fortune, world peace, and the welfare of humankind, the Emperor indicated he would adhere to his status as the symbol of the people's unity, as provided by the Constitution.
Interests
Akihito, like his father, is interested in the study of fish and has published 25 papers on gobies in the Japanese Journal of Ichthyology. He was elected an honorary member of the Linnean Society of London, an
international biological society, in 1896. The E,peror is also interested in history. His favorite sport is tennis and he plays often. He also greatly enjoys riding. The Emperess enjoys playing the piano and harp, as well as doing embroidery, weaving, and other andicrafts. She is also known for her love of literature and lowers. Like her husband, her favorite sport is tennis. In fact the two became acquainted on the tennis court.
Emperor Akihito and Emperess Michiko have two sons and a daughter. In spite of their busy lives with many official duties and some concern from court cirles, they raised their children on their own. This was a major departure from imperial tradition. They have tried to spend as much time as possible with their family in order to maintain close ties. Their constant visits to the Imperial Palace together with their children gave Emperor Showa and Her Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager much joy. We do not yet have much information on the children, but assume that they were discussed in some detail by the Japanese press. The royal children include: Crown Prince Naruhito (1960), Prince Akishino (1960), and Princess Sayako (1969). Their first son and heir, Prince Naruhito, was born in 1960. We do not know a great deal about Prince Naruhito's childhood. We have some information about his clothing. As a todler he wire French style rompers. We note him as a younger boy wearing short panrs suits, often with ankle socks rather than kneesocks. The royal couples's second son was His Imperial Highness the Prince Akishino. The Prince was born on November 30, 1965. He know little about his childhood. He attended regular Japanese schools like his brother. And like his brother he attended universities in Japan and England. He graduated from Gakushuin University in March 1988 and studied at St. John's College of Oxford University from October 1988 to June 1990. Since his graduation, he has paid a number of official visits to other countries and has undertaken official duties at home. In June 1990 he married Miss Kiko Kawashima, daughter of Dr. Tatsuhiko Kawashima, a professor at Gakushuin University. Their Majesties's daughter, Her Imperial Highness the Princess Sayako, who holds the title "Nori-no-Miya", was born on April 18, 1969. She graduated from Gakushuin University and is currently a researcher at the Yamashina Institute of Ornithology.
We have been unable to find much information on the royal family's actual family life. Except for the number of children, Crown Prince Akihito and Princess Michiko come about as close to the British Victorian model as one can imagine. His father remade the Imperial role from that of a war leader after Japan's defeat in the Pacific war to that of a modern constitutionl monsrchy representing the middle class and supporting dmocracy. [Lamont-Brown] And as part of that role, both Emperor Hirohito and even more his son Akihito have attempted to present a public image of the perfect middle-class family. That is certainly what the available images suggest. For all intents and purposes they look like the perfect family. We have not yet found any discussion of famiily life. Hopefully our Japanesecreaders will be abkle to tell us more. The Emperor looks like an afable committed father and the Emperess a decdicated mother. The family lives in the restrictive environment of the Imperial Palace and the Imperial Household Agency. As younger children, the enviromment probably does not seem restriuctive. The children had a kind of playgriund, but not elaborate. And Akihito's children went to a regular primary school. We have found no information about their teenge experiences.
The Japanese public was very interested in the Royal Family. Thus the Royal family released large number of formaly posed photographs to the media. We do not note much in the way of informal sfamily snapshots or papparazi phoyographs. The Japanese press is more respectful than the British press. The boys seem dressed a little formlly. They often appear in suits. They attended sc\hools with uniforms so we commonly see them in these unforms. There are some informal settings, but eventhese seem posed. The princes were often outfitted in identica; clothes, although their age differences mean that this was to an extent limitee. Prince Naruhito, a boy of seven here wears a grey double breasted short pants suit with white shirt and tie (fugure 1). He wears white ankle socks and Oxford-style shoes. His younger brother Akishino wears rompers held up by suspender straps with a white long-sleeved top, white hightop shoes, and white socks. The boys were commonly photographed in suits. The family always had a New Years portrait taken which shows how the children were dressed over time.
The Japanese media and public are very interested in the Japanese royal family, including the wives nd children. The Japanese monarchy is one of the few important monarchies to survive into the modern age. And given the traditions until after World War II, the public despite demoritization still hold the emperor and the family in great awe. The only royal family quite comparable to the Japanese royal family is the British royal family. The press interest is comparable, but the Japanese press is much more respectful than Fleet Street. And the Japanese royal family much better behaved. It is interesting to compare the behavior before the camera of Prince William and Prince Nauruhito. Willian came to deslike the intrusive cameras at a very young age, even before he understood the problems betweem his parents and how the press fed on it. Prince Naurihoto was always polite before the press. We are not sure to what extent this was instinctive and to what extent he was coached. And here we are not sure to what extent his parents had professional advise about dealing with the media.
New Image for Imperial Family
In postwar Japan, the everyday life of the imperial family was reported in detail. The marriage in 1959 of Crown Prince Akihito (born 1933) to Michiko Shoda, the daughter of an industrialist, was eagerly accepted by the people. Akihito's reign is called Heisei, meaning ("the achievement of complete peace on earth and in the
heavens"). Because of the pervasive influence of the Emperor on Japanese life, the adoption of this name for Akihito's reign can be expected to influence Japan's policy. Akihito is the first Japanese emperor who has tried to bring the imperial family down to earth. He is not only the Emperor for
his people but also a loving husband and a caring father. He and his wife, the Empress Michiko, often visit foreign countries, especially the Asian countries Japan once invaded, and play a role in promoting friendship between nations. Many Japanese respect and are proud of the imperial family that Akihito has created. In January of 1995, Akihito and Michiko visited people in Kobe right after the destructive earthquake. Some people who lost their houses were interviewed on TV and said, It is my honor to have seen the Emperor and the Empress. I will be OK because they gave me power. Clearly, even today, the Emperor and the imperial family are a source of authority and power for the Japanese people.
Sources
Lamont-Brown, Raymond. "Japan's imperil family : It's role and meaning in modern Japan" Contemporary Review (September 1999) Vol. 275, i1604, pl18.
