TOKYO — One year has passed since the dawn of the Reiwa era in Japan, when Emperor Naruhito ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1, 2019.
Since that time, Emperor Naruhito has inherited former Emperor Akihito’s consistent approach of “walking together with the people,” as exemplified by his visits to typhoon-hit areas to encourage affected residents.
Akihito, now the emperor emeritus, became the first Japanese emperor to abdicate in about 200 years. While upholding tradition since ascending to the throne, Emperor Naruhito has also shown his unique presence through his official international duties, using his wealth of experience overseas.
Although events involving the imperial family are now restricted due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, Emperor Naruhito, along with Empress Masako, a former career diplomat, is exploring his role as a “symbol of the State and of the unity of the People,” as was stipulated for the monarch in Japan’s constitution following World War II.
In October 2019, many people in Japan were affected by the powerful Typhoon No. 19, which ripped through the eastern part of the country. The imperial couple, who were preparing for rituals related to the emperor’s enthronement, expressed their intention to visit affected areas early on.
In December 2019, once imperial succession-related events had settled down, the imperial couple made their first visit to disaster-hit areas since the enthronement. They visited the northeastern prefectures of Miyagi and Fukushima, which had borne the brunt of the typhoon.
The two prefectures suffered severe damage as rivers burst their banks due to heavy rains brought on by the typhoon. The imperial couple offered words of encouragement to affected people and expressed their appreciation to those involved in recovery efforts.
In a style reminiscent of Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako sometimes stooped down so their faces were level with those of disaster victims while speaking to them.
The former imperial couple established their role as “symbolic figures who walk together with the people”, by visiting areas hit by earthquakes and other disasters and paying tribute to the war dead at home and abroad.
The current imperial couple both have a great deal of experience internationally.
During his university years, Emperor Naruhito studied in the U.K. at Oxford University. Empress Masako studied at Harvard University in the U.S., after having lived abroad for many years from her childhood.
When U.S. President Donald Trump visited Japan as the first state guest of the Reiwa era in May 2019, the imperial couple talked with him and his wife Melania in English, without the need for an interpreter.
Trump praised the emperor for having a good command of English and asked him where he studied the language.
In October 2019, “kyoen-no-gi” court banquets were held to celebrate the emperor’s enthronement, with many dignitaries from around the world attending. He exchanged familiar greetings and dined with foreign monarchs and royals with whom he has deepened his friendships over many years.
The emperor has also dedicated a great deal of his life to the study of issues related to water and supply of the precious resource. He has attended international conferences on the issues and exchanged views with overseas researchers, at the same time promoting international friendships and appearing as a symbolic figurehead in touch with global issues.
The imperial succession due to an emperor’s abdication was unprecedented in modern history. In fact, it was the first in about 200 years since Emperor Kokaku of the Edo era stepped down.
There were initially concerns that the issue of “double authority” might arise, with the new and old emperors standing side-by-side.
The post-war constitution positions the emperor as “the symbol of the State and of the unity of the People.” But the supreme law has no provision concerning the activities of an emperor emeritus.
But in fact, since the historic imperial succession a year ago, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko have made public appearances much less often and the issue of double authority has not become a major point of contention.
Shinichiro Yamamoto retired as the grand steward of the Imperial Household Agency after the imperial succession. He revealed that the emperor emeritus gave “particular consideration” to the issue of double authority.