1. Callum Craigie
Student No: 42779006
JPS122 Presentation: Japanese Royalty
Good morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Tradition is the transmission of
customs, beliefs and rituals from generation to generation. Culture being similar
to tradition if not an element of tradition, is the collection achievements for a
community, society or a nation. Japanese royalty is tradition within its self going
back generation to generation, dating back to 600 BC (Nussbaum, Louis-Frederic,
2005, p.624). However in the tradition culture Japan the royal family, more
importantly the Emperor is a symbol of stability and peace. Today I am going to
reflect on two periods of Japanese history define Royalty of tradition Japanese
culture, the ‘Meiji era’ and the ‘Post World War II era’.
The Meiji era is of most significance in the origins of the modern perception of
the Emperor, tradition and culture. “The Meiji era, is an era which extended from
1868 through to 1912” (Nussbaum, Louis-Frederic, 2005, p.624). In this era the
internal structure of Japanese society or the traditional ruling of Japan was
significantly altered. The Emperor changed traditions and the culture. In this
period the new 14 year old Emperor ‘Mutsuhito’, essentially took more control of
the Japanese state. Shoguns who had previously for the last 500 years being the
dominant rulers lost control. Clan leaders before the Meiji era were constantly in
civil wars with each other and had their own armies. Emperor ‘Mutsuhito’
removed the authority of the Shoguns and Clan leaders.
1868 was the period of Imperial advancement powers but also restoration the
traditional Japanese Emperor, as 500 years before the Japanese Emperor had
dominate powers. However tradition was altered as the Emperor formed a new
government, the ‘Meiji era’ that is translated to mean the ‘enlightened rule’. The
new government of was untraditional, creating a new culture out of the authority
of the new Emperor. Japan became a society no longer isolated and feudal. Japan
transformed into a very liberal, modern society. The new government had a new
charter with 5 provisions; the establishment of deliberative assemblies, the
involvement of all classes scarring out state affairs, the revocation of sumptuary
laws and class restrictions on employment, the replacement of “evil customs”
with the “just laws of nature” and the international search for knowledge to
strengthen the foundation of imperial rule. More importantly this new
constitution was the “framework but also the constellation of political, economic,
and educational policies by which the government undertook to rule the people”
(Daikichi Irokawa, ‘The Culture of the Meiji Period’, Princeton University Press,
1985, p. 246).
The Emperor transformed from a strong religious Shinto figure into the
dominate figure of authority. In 1889 a constitution was written with a new
political system known as the ‘Emperor system’ (Daikichi Irokawa, ‘The Culture
of the Meiji Period’, Princeton University Press, 1985, p. 246).

2. In the post World War II period “had the American occupation authorities
decided to abolish the monarchy, it is questionable whether the Japanese would
have mounted much resistance” (Kenneth J. Ruoff, ‘The People’s Emperor:
Democracy and the Japanese Monarchy 1945-1995, Harvard University Asia
Centre, 2001, p.7). General MacArthur who was in charge of post war Japanese
reconstruction was under orders from Washington to preserve the Japanese
monarchy. MacArthur was able to use the monarchy as an institution in the new
undemocratic Japan to carry out reforms without instabilities from the public.
Furthermore General Bonner Fellers kept the thrown and Hirohito as defence
against communism ((Kenneth J. Ruoff, ‘The People’s Emperor: Democracy and
the Japanese Monarchy 1945-1995, Harvard University Asia Centre, 2001, p.7).
To understand how influential the Emperor was is to look back at his actions at
the end of World War II Japan. I have a manuscript of a radio address by
Emperor Hirohito to Japanese people in surrender in August 1945 urging peace
with the occupying forces. “Despite the best that has been done by everyone, the
gallant fighting of the military and naval forces, the diligence and assiduity of our
servants of the state, and the devoted service of our one hundred million people,
the war situation has developed not necessarily to Japan’s advantage, while the
general trends of the world have all turned against her interest. Moreover, the
enemy has begun to employ a new and most cruel bomb the power of which to
do damage is, indeed, incalculable, taking the toll of many innocent lives. Should
we continue to fight, not only would it result in an ultimate collapse and
obliteration of the Japanese nation, but also it would lead to the total extinction
of human civilisation. Such being the case, how are we to save the millions of our
subjects, or to atone ourselves before the hallowed spirits of our imperial
ancestors? This is the reason why we have ordered the acceptance of the
provisions of the joint declaration of the powers. The hardships and suffering to
which our nation is to be subjected here after will be certainly great. We are
keenly aware of the inmost feeling of all of you, our subjects. However, it is
according to the dictates of time and fate that we have resolved to pave the way
for a grand peace for all the generations to come by enduring the unendurable
and suffering what is insufferable” (Ian Hill Nish, ‘Collected Writings of Richard
Storry’, Psychology Press, 2002, p.60).
Hirohito continued following his ancestor Mutsuhito the traditional cultural
Japanese image of the Emperor being a symbol of stability and peace.
In conclusion Japanese Royalty or the Emperor traditionally and culturally is a
symbol of stability and peace. The ‘Meiji era’ as a result of Mutsuhito was period
that of reestablishment of the traditional Emperor but also was the introduction
of an Emperor that brought stability and peace. Mutsuhito took away the
authority of Shoguns and Clan leaders. Mutsuhito’s ‘Meiji era’ brought class
transparency and a modern Japan. Therefore Mutsuhito culturally and
traditionally is a symbol of peace of stability. Hirohito like Mutsuhito in the 20th
century stayed culturally and traditionally the same as Mutsuhito. Hirohito
shown through his ‘enduring the unendurable’ speech created peace for Japan
with the allied forces. Furthermore the allied forces such as General McArthur
were able to used Hirohito for stability of the Japanese people during occupation.

3. Bibliography:
Daikichi Irokawa, ‘The Culture of the Meiji Period’, Princeton University Press,
1985.
Kenneth J. Ruoff, ‘The People’s Emperor: Democracy and the Japanese Monarchy
1945-1995, Harvard University Asia Centre, 2001.
Ian Hill Nish, ‘Collected Writings of Richard Storry’, Psychology Press, 2002.
Nussbaum, Louis-Frederic, ‘Meiji in Japan Encyclopedia’, Deutsche
Nationalbibliothek, 2005.