The Birth Of Prince Hisahito, The Savior Of Japanese Monarchs In History Today, September 6, 2006
JAKARTA - September 6 today, the Empire of Japan commemorates the birthday of the heir to the throne, Prince Hisahito. The man who is now 15 years old is the hope for the Japanese Empire, which is almost half a century waiting for a male offspring.
Prince Hisahito became the second heir to the throne when Emperor Naruhito ascended the throne in May 2019. Emperor Naruhito succeeded his father, Emperor Akihito, who stepped down after 30 years. Supposedly, Naruhito later abdicated the throne of the emperor to his son. However, Naruhito only has one daughter, Princess Aiko, while Japanese imperial rule states that the throne cannot be given to a woman. Hisahito himself is the nephew of Naruhito.
Quoting The Japan Times, before Hisahito was born, many said the future of the monarchy was very concerning. Naruhito's wife, Princess Masako, also came under great pressure from the public for not getting pregnant again and not giving birth to a son.
In addition, there are calls to revise the succession law to allow women to inherit the throne. Many Japanese have good ideas about female rulers, taking Queen Elizabeth II of England as an example.
Announcement of the birth of Prince Hisahito (Source: Wikimedia Commons)
When Hisahito was born, it didn't mean the problem was over. The burden now shifts to Hisahito who is still a teenager. He continues to be in the spotlight and is expected to face various royal dramas, including disobedience from the imperial family. The whole country was shocked when a man confessed to plotting to kill the teenager.
The knife was found on Hisahito's school desk and the man who left the knife was immediately arrested by the police. He claimed to have planned to kill the prince, but instead left a knife on his desk as a warning. In addition, there was a lot of pressure especially from the conservatives who were always watching whether he was properly prepared for the position of emperor.
Meanwhile, a number of female members of the imperial family have left the monarchy by marrying commoners. In 2018, the Japanese Empire became the world's spotlight because one of the royal princesses, Princess Ayako, married a commoner and relinquished her royal title. However, Princess Ayako still participates in imperial activities due to the decreasing number of members of the royal family.
Symbol of Country
Quoting the Motto of Japan Media, in 1947 Japan had become a constitutional monarchy. Sovereignty lies with the people, not the emperor. As stated in the Japanese Constitution, "The Emperor will be the symbol of the State and the unity of the People."
Hirohito later allowed the publication of his private life in an attempt to bring the Imperial Family closer to the public. Its popularity kept the imperial system alive.
Japan is currently in the Reiwa era, under the reign of Emperor Naruhito. He succeeded his father, Emperor Akihito, after abdicating after 30 years of rule. Akihito was the first Emperor of Japan in more than 200 years to hand over his royal duties to his successor before his death.
The emperor in Japan is the person who promulgates or enacts laws that have been approved by the Diet or the Japanese Parliament. The emperor also became a person who was met with foreign ambassadors as representatives of his country. Even so, the Imperial family was unable to take on the empirical task. Instead, they can take jobs in nonprofit organizations for the public good, with the permission of the emperor.
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