Abe’s LDP wants to change Emperor title from ‘symbol’ to ‘Head of State’

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Cherrie Lou Billones in Politics with 39 Comments
Abe’s LDP wants to change Emperor title from ‘symbol’ to ‘Head of State’

Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has put into focus its intention to revise the Constitution once again. This time, though, it was regarding the title of the Emperor as stated therein. Members of the LDP is calling for a re-designation of the Emperor from “Symbol of the State” to “Head of State.” Should this be approved, it could mean that the Emperor will be given an increased participation or power in the workings of the government.

The LDP argues that it is already an “undeniable fact” that the Emperor acts as the head of state, despite the fact that Japan’s post-war Constitution, which took effect in May 1947, denies him of powers that are given to other monarchs of other countries. The Nippon Ishin no Kai (Japan Restoration Party) and Your Party–both opposition parties–support the LDP in this respect. On the other hand, the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan, as well as LDP’s coalition partner, New Komeito, do not agree with the proposal, saying that it is not necessary to disturb the current wordings because they do no pose any “inconvenience” anyway.

Under Article 1 of the Constitution’s first chapter, “The Emperor shall be the symbol of the State and the unity of the people, deriving his position from the will of the people with whom resides sovereign power.” This wording was created after a Shinto-inspired war when the Emperor was considered divine. In the April 2012 proposals for Constitutional revision, the LDP used “head of state” instead, but kept “symbol of the state and the unity of the people.”

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[via Kyodo]
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  • Bill

    Watch out. Imperial Japanese military army is coming back as this is what Abe wants.

    • CMLiu

      Histrionic nonsense.

  • Eric.K

    How can this Japanese Emperor which involved the WWII can changed to “Head of State”. It is an insult to the world and a shame to Japan.

    • Truth

      Akihito was not involved in WWII. He was only 5 years old when it started. Please don’t be silly.

      This is just a normalization of affairs. Japan has every right to throw off the stigmas placed upon it by America and to reject the past.

      Mostly foreigners has a misunderstanding of the nature and role of the Tenno and they understand the English word “Emperor” according to their own cultural prejudice whether Chinese, European or American.

      Should the Queen of England not be recognized as the head of state because of England’s history enslaving half of the world and dividing and ruling most of the rest? Should the President Obama be guilty for President Clinton and Kennedy’s sexual infidelities?

      Either don’t be silly, or apply the same standard to all.

      For 1,000 years the Japanese Tennō avoided leading armies, had no territorial claims, and so on. The role existed as a balancing point within Japanese politics. Actually, in comparison to other royal families, they behavior has been very good and Japan has avoided the problems of other nations.

      Bill, you are a fake. An Asian pretending to be a white man. At least have some pride and use an Asian name.

      Japan has done a lot of good for Asia, including breaking the backs of the White Imperialists and leading many nations to finding independence. The areas it took over were modernized, educated, and freed from the opium addiction their Imperialial master kept them enslaved to. It even played a big part in the free the slave caste in Korea (40% of the Korean population).

      What Westerners need to understand is that many of the Asians who historically complained and set about to destroy the peace and prosperity of the Japanese sphere were old, corrupt ruling elites and criminal overlords who ruthlessly exploited their subjects and kept them held back, like the unenlightened Yangban in Korea.

      The conflicts in Asia were not as simple as their descendants, the new Chinese Imperial Dynasties and the America Imperialists˘attempt to portray them.

      • -observer-

        So what your saying, the American’s are setting up a war to profit from?. The Americans are using China to fight a war with Japan?

        • Truth

          Not in the present and with this conflict, Halliburton and Academi/Blackwater are far too busy in the MIddle East, but, historically, yes. American corporations have always profited from American wars, and the American military primarily serves American corporate interests.

          However, this is certainly true with regards with its history with Japan, Commodore Perry was serving the interests of the American whalers and other corporations when he kicked its doors in, and in with the way in which it supplied military equipment and expertize to China prior to WWII.

          The USA’s policy is political, economic and if necessary, military domination of NE Asia region. The rise of Japan was an unexpected surprise, a competitor in the way of the USA achieving that, and it had to be removed and has had to be weakened in the minds of the American people ever since, scapegoated to hide the USA’s own crimes in the region.

          What right does the USA have to be in Asia and what right did the USA have to be in Asia anyway?

      • Andrew

        birth, does not give you right to rule, we do not abide by such foolishness in modern society. he should not have any power. period.

      • Peter_T

        twisted truth strikes again.

        The tenno is purely dervied from Chinese Heavenly Son concept infused with Shinto religion. Tenno might not control army personally but there are periods of Tenno which have concentrated power over army like Chinese Emperor as well. It wasn’t until close to the Warring era did the Tenno’s power much lessened.

        Japan has done a lot of good for Asia, including breaking the backs of the White Imperialists and leading many nations to finding independence? Similar example of is how Hitler “liberated” the Slavic area and how Slavics were thankful of him until they found Germany was worse than any before. Twisted truth once again.
        Back then the right wing militaristic facist government of Japan would use the same “liberation” excuse to justify their action. Disgusting yet coming back in Japan and examplified by this twisted Truth person.

        • Truth

          Europe was not subjugated through drug addiction, enslavement and subject to gang wars between by foreign imperial power and so you cannot make comparisons to Hitler.

          Actually, if you speak to ordinary East Europeans you will discover that they preferred German rule to the Soviet era that was to follow.

          Since the 12th Century, sovereignty of the Japanese state was in the hands of the shoguns and their descendants and the Tennō used as a balancing factor but never as a military or even state leader.

          This persistent effort to label Japan as right wing in order to blacken its name is deliberately misleading and shows an extreme misunderstanding of Japan as a whole.

          • Peter_T

            Of course I can since both HItler’s Germany and Hirohito’s Japan was both facist militaristic countries trying to “liberate” others and both are also Imperalistic as well.

            IF I speak to East Europeans, they would prefer to rule themselves than rather under either German or Soviet power. IF I speak to East Asians, I would find them also feel the same way about Japan.

            “Since the 12th Century, sovereignty of the Japanese state was in the hands of the shoguns and their descendants and the Tennō used as a balancing factor but never as a military or even state leader”. I agree but it is not as if Tenno willingly gave up that power to the shoguns. IT was forcibily taken and made sure remain weak by all of the other shoguns. In the era of WWI and WWII, Hirohito was consulted constantly by Military PM such as Tojo on many major actions involving invasions of Korea and China as well as attacks on USA. Power of Tenno cannot be underestimated since it was also Hirohito that decided the surrender of Japan in the end. After the fall of the Tokugawa and the rise of Meiji, the Tenno’s power was much stronger than before.

            I’m not labeling Japan right wing. I’m labeling people like you and the Shinozo Abe who uses well known right wing excuses for WWII and war crimes committed as right wingers. Twisting words are in your nature just like you are twisting Truth.

          • Truth

            The idea that by acknowledging kinjō tennō as the head of state he will suddenly emerge as an evil, be-horned, fascist demon is ridiculous and yet it is what these people seem to believe.

            Have you ever been to Japan? Do you know anything about it?

            Personally, I am actually not right wing. I just reject exaggerated, racist and uninformed propagandistic views of Japan, and false constructions correlating Japan with Nazi Germany.

            You’re making a common, fundamental error in thought of presuming that because Germany was like ‘this’ Japan must have been the same.

            The nature of Japan’s alliance with Germany was not like that of the Allies. It was very a loose and distant relationships. There was little shared culture and, it turned out, even few resources shared. Its main purpose appears to have been in the possibility of invasion by communist Russia.

            As you know, although Japan had borrowed elements of the earlier Prussian state, it outrightly reject Nazi ideologies such as anti-semitism.

            When exactly did “East Asia start its history of changing governments by popularist movements”? The bit of history I remember is when it was all, except for Japan and Siam, enslaved by European imperialists and addicted to opium or being torn apart by the Christians. China appears to have lost that bit again.

            The Tennō was never some Napoleon or Caesar like figure, never mind a Hitler, nor can you blame him for “Hirohito’s Japan”. The Tennō does not rule. He is more like a kind of priest.

            You really need to free your mind from Western constructions and forget WWII rhetoric.

          • Peter_T

            He may be emerged as this kind of demon, but it paved the way for future Tenno to go down the same path as before as right-wing like you support it. Yes you are a right-wing, no matter how you denounce it since you are repeating the same exact excuses giving by other right-wing politicians had used in the past. You can hide and appear objective all you want. Your words and logic betray you true intentions.

            “You’re making a common, fundamental error in thought of presuming that because Germany was like ‘this’ Japan must have been the same.” You are assuming too much. I picked and use some of their common traits at the time and had never said they must have been the same. I never mentioned the nature of Japan’s alliance with Germany nor was it implied in anyway as well. You are twisting words once again. That’s all you are capable it seems.

            When exactly did “East Asia start its history of changing governments by popularist movements”? Well for your lack of knowlege. China for example, have ample tries to change their government by populist revolts. Even in the late Qing dynasty the Heavenly Peaceful Kingdom revolt was one of them. Qing was eventually overthrown by the Republic of China. It was the Republic of China Japan attacked twice. What liberation? Oh Please.

            I have mentioned Tenno is a shinto infused Chinese heavenly son mandate combination before. But even you previously admitted before the 12th century, Tenno had a lot more power controlling everything before it lost it to the shoguns. For example, the attack on Korea during China’s Tang dynasty was orchestrated by the Tenno. All this talk of Tenno never ruled is again twisted Truth from you.

            It seems your mind is much more narrower than mine on this subject by whitewashing and twisting the truth on everything bad Japan had done as good. In the long run, it will ruin Japan but it’s not my country so I do not care. I only care the garbage you sometime spew and twisting of the truth that can manipulate the less informed readers.

          • Truth

            Well the, if the Tennō comes from China, by your logic it must be the China’s fault.

            But if the ancestor of the Japanese Emperor was the prince of Silla, then it must be Koreans’ fault.

            But Silla was only a tiny part of Korea and Baekje had an alliance with the Yamato, and the Yamato did not rule the whole of Japan, so neither can be called “Korea” nor “Japan”.

            Are you really going back to history 1300 years ago to make a point? Times, and people, have changed a little since them.

            Personally, I am a member of the Ainu Liberation League. Japan is ours and it has been going down hill ever since the Yayoi came over from Korea in 300 AD and stole it from us … my point being we are all one people and closely related. The only people who are separating us are the nationalists.

            Your mind has been filled so full of poison about Japan, which ever brand it is, you cannot see clearly. Stop it.

            Clear your mind out and start again afresh. Today is today, not 1,000 years ago.

          • Peter_T

            Are you English reading skill ok? I’m seeing a lot of nonsense this time.

            I said Tenno is a combination of Shinto and Mandate of Heaven, a fusion of Japanese religion on a emperor concept. When did I say Tenno comes from China?

            But if the ancestor of the Japanese Emperor was the prince of Silla? Huh what? I only mentioned battle of Yamoto Tenno against Silla of Korea. Did I say Tenno was the prince of Silla anywhere?

            Wow, you are getting so desperate twisting truth and words that your English reading skill really coming down.

            “Are you really going back to history 1300 years ago to make a point”? You said Tenno NEVER ruled which I said of course it did 1300 years ago. Its a valid reply since NEVER means NOT EVER which is not true in this case. “Times, and people, have changed a little since them.” Well you just killed your argument with this one. I’ll be generous and treated it as a mistype.

            I can care less of what you say you are . I only care what you have written so far which make less and less sense as you try to argue further with me.
            You should stop as you are clearly muddled right now in your brain and YOU should clear you mind instead. Clearly you have lost it right now with this reply.

          • Truth

            I am showing you how silly this ‘historical blame game’ is. No, the Tennō was not like Adolf Hitler in the bunker. The show was run by others.

            It was not even democratically run and so you cannot blame the peaceful Japanese people for it.

            Modern Japanese are nothing more than mixed Korean and Chinese (excusing the Malay), therefore if you are playing the ‘historical blame game’, you have to go back and blame the Korean and Chinese.

            Only the Ainu are the true Japanese. All the rest are just troublemaking Gaoli bangzi fighting with each other

            Please take them back to Korea or China. I won’t complain when they are gone.

          • Peter_T

            again it is now apparently you have lost sense. This is the end of my reply to you until you have gathered your mind.

          • Truth

            Thank you. Come back when you are finished fighting WWII or the Battle of Baekgang on your computer simulator.

            Can you understand, when we have individuals making comments like, “Watch out. Imperial Japanese military army is coming back as this is what Abe wants”, how ridiculous it all sounds?

            I am sorry. It is 2013. It’s all over and life has moved on.
            The Tennō is a very polite little old man with an interest in goby fish. He is that dangerous. Not even dangerous German shepherd dogs but goby fish.

          • Peter_T

            Guess insult is all you have left.

          • Truth

            It’s no insult to say the Tennō is interested in goby fish. It’s the truth.

            I suppose you’re going to tell us it’s obviously just an evil Japanese plot, and they are actually Kamikaze Nazi goby fish in disguise and he is training them to invade Manchuria?

            I can be as serious as you are any day.

          • Guest

            Excuse me, but this is the point where your argument just gets silly!

          • Truth

            Exactly. I am attempting to show them how silly their arguments are by mirroring them.

            It’s a wasted effort trying to reason with them using logic and fact.

      • bill

        “For 1,000 years the Japanese Tennō avoided leading armies, had no territorial claims, and so on. The role existed as a balancing point within Japanese politics. Actually, in comparison to other royal families, they behavior has been very good and Japan has avoided the problems of other nations”. This shows you are lying. If he is a good emperor, he should stop the WWII or even die for their citizens. However, no. Nothing had done on peace but rather let the exteme right JP doing what they wanted. It is a shameful emperor and he was luckcy to get out the justice of war crimes.

        • Truth

          Again, you show your ignorance and a grasp of reality based on kung fu movies.

          The Tennō did not have, and does not, have that kind of power and influence and all this talk of “extreme right wing” is just a pathetic attempt at smearing a VERY BAD NAME on whatever it is your masters tell you.

          The Japanese were better rulers than the various Chinese warlords and impotent Yangban elite who drive Korean people into the ground (of course there were good Korean but they were in a minority).

          Look at the different in how the three countries have evolved since WWII.

          Korea would have been one and imagine how far ahead of the USA China would have been … instead most North Koreans and Chinese are in absolute poverty.

          In a few decades, with no natural resources, Japan was able to rebuild into the second most powerful nation and rebuild a safe, peaceful and democratic society … which all rich Chinese and Koreans flock to escape their homelands.

          And even know Japan helps Chinese and Koreans improve.

          When you become older, or wiser, you’ll discover that life is far more complex than that. All that is apparent at present is that you know nothing about politics, history and international law.

          Stop playing silly war games and see reality as it is.

          • bill

            You are full of extreme right thought. Only imagine the glory of imperial Japan army and hoping the return the pride of Japan. This stupid thought only made you in shame. For that shameful emperor, he did a very poor job to guide his people but still someone wants to create him as a glory symbol.

          • Truth

            Objective truth is not “right wing”. Truth is truth. It’s a simple as that.

            Again, you have no idea what the Tennō is. He is not some Mao like figure to tell you how to think and to live in fear under.

          • Bill

            Truth is truth but you is liar. This is easy understanding your nature. JP emperor is a disgrace emperor in WWII perforamce and you all extreme right wing group like Abe still want to return past day glory. It must be a dream.

          • Truth

            The quality of life in Japan is better today than in the past, we have human rights, democracy, freedom of speech and it is one of the safe, most peaceful and respectful nations in the world.

            Why would Abe or anyone want to return to the way it was in the past?

            You’d have to be crazy to believe so.

          • Bill

            1. Abe and a small group ex.right jealous to China and Korea outperform than Japan. They cannot accept other better than Japan.
            2. Abe is a WWII family member. He wants to clear the evil crimes that JP committed in WWII in order to get more respect to the world. No way.
            3. Abe still wants to steal the islands which is not belong to Japan.
            4. Abe is trying to bring back the emperor as a holy symbol to unite the people in order to accomplish what Abe calls “Stron Japan” which is the same trend leading to WWII.

    • Andrew

      agreed. democracy and liberty, no asshole ruling the country because of some bullshit birthright. the emperor shouldn’t even be considered a symbol.

      • Whirled Peas

        So I guess you are against constitutional monarchies as a form of government. Please . tell the British.that Queen Elizabeth should be deposed as head of state because she has no right to rule based on her “bullshit birthright.” And that goes for any of her successors — e.g. Prince William of Wales.

        • Truth

          @Andrew

          The Tennō (Emperor) does not rule the country, the government does.

          Again, all you prove if that you know absolutely nothing about Japan.

          You should learn a little about it and come some time. You might actually like it.

          The Tennō has never had the same type of scandals as the British Royalty or American presidents. Actually, they are a very good and reasonable examples. Not perfect, definitely human, part-Korean, they are academics mostly.

          • Whirled Peas

            Truth: Thanks for the correction re:” Emperor does not rule.” Would you say the Queen also does not rule, but is she still considered head of state? Also what does your last sentence mean. Who are academics?

          • Truth

            In order to have something to do, and to be of some service to society, part of the Japanese royal family has been study, in particular marine biology, estuary birds, etc. Nothing contentious (or arguably that tasking or important).

            Are all Japanese royalists? Of course not.
            Are some Japanese critical? Of course so.

            However, largely I think overseas critics are missing the target.

            Firstly, they are seeing the world through the filters in their own minds so they conceive of the Tennō as European or Korean dictators with military roots and absolute power, of even as a Chinese emperor like Mao at the head of the CPC. He is not. That would have been the Daimyo or Shogun. When you go and see the Imperial palaces or homes what is surprising is how relatively down to earth and humble they are in comparison to the historical counterparts abroad. Of course, it is surprising too how humble the samurai houses were.

            Secondly, if there are ‘villains’ they are in the royal household bureaucracy who control every aspect of the Tennō and his family and wish to ensure the continuation of their position and budget.

            I think of the Tennō and the royal family more as hostages or prisoners! Efforts at changes have been made with the marrying of a “commoner” and the family and its role has been modelled on the British monarchy.

            Does the Queen of England rule? No, of course not. They are both sorts of formalities, a further balancing point amongst more conflicting politics and they do have a wealth of experience and connections that an elected president existing for short terms does not have.

            Personally, I would not an American-style elected president in Japan as I do not think people are democratically evolve enough to make wise choices but I think the role of the royals could be developed more. However, I don’t think they will.

            I think they are kept slightly weak, not because anyone is afraid they will go and invade China, like the Chinese believe, but because the bureaucracy does not want its applecart upset.

            Neither the Tennō nor the royal family endorses the noisy extremists.

          • Whirled Peas

            Thank you Truth for this helpful information.

          • Truth

            I found this article in English which I think it very good and very fair in its criticisms.

            Google: What Role Japan’s Imperial Family? by David McNeill

            It also points a finger at the Royal Household rather than the Royal Family and makes interesting comparisons with the British and from it I take how the family is not just a symbol of the positive sides of Japan but also the negative side, e.g. top heavy bureaucratic control.

            I think it’s a big problem though because if the institution was dismantled tomorrow, on one hand, as the article points out, they might become the focus of nationalist political elements even if they did not want it and, on the other hand, without protection some crazy Korean would try and blow them up.

            Therefore, I think their future is also tied to international relationships within the region and I don’t think the Japanese Royal Family will become as free as European royalty until those other elements settle down and evolve to a higher level.

            (Sorry for repost. Website does not accept URLs)

  • yamashita_k

    What is “Head of State”? what is its authority and relation to other post?

    Political leaders of Japan always makes false title to confuse responsibility.

    • Truth

      It’s not just Japan, it’s just part of politics internationally.

      The ‘Head of State’ is the highest ranking position in the nation which has powers to act as the chief public representative of that country.

      In the case of the Japanese system, which has borrowed heavily from the British system, the Tennō as the Head of State is, basically, a figurehead. A figurehead is a person who is given a position of leadership in name but has no actual power or authority.

      It differs from the, say, French, American presidents who have political powers.

      This is one of the problems we have in this discussion. The Americans have a child-like fixation on their father-like powerful President … and on historically dictators … and they presume the rest of the world things and acts like them. Therefore when they think of the Tennō as Head of State, all they can think of is their President, Superman or Hitler as if they were a one man Superheros running the whole of the nation.

      They lack the subtlety of the Europeans and Japanese.

      In the case of the Chinese, they think from the perspective of a brutal ‘personality cult’ where the leader, or his undemocratic agents, as having the absolute power of everything, life and death eve, over them as powerless peasants.

      That is how they fear the idea of the Tennō. It’s all in their minds.

      They fear what they already experience in China and project it on Japan.

      So why have a Head of State that has no power? That is the question to ask.

      The answer is simple … so no one else can be it. To stop a dictator from taking absolute political power. The Tennō is not a position of absolute political power. It is more like a gentle, inspiring ambassadorial or public relations job.

      Now the question arises, would it be better to have a hereditary or an elected head of state? That is a question open to discussion. There are pros and cons on both sides.

  • CMLiu

    Irrelevant. Many monarchs are considered “heads of state”, but remain without political power. Although emperor worship is quite pointless, so such a move by Abe will just make nationalists in other parts of Asia suspicious.

    • Truth

      Or rather … give them material that they can twist to their own advantage.

      I don’t think any serious politicians will see it in that light. They probably quite like the meetings and entertainment they have with the royal family. They really are not evil monsters.

      Of course, I think there other far more radical changes that could be made. I think the royal family should be allowed greater freedoms and should take on more contentious issues … but, again, it seems they are modelling themselves on the British and seeking to protect a 1,000 tradition as cultural ambassadors or curators.