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Prince Hisahito - the future of Japan's monarchy

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26 Comments
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'This is simply the nature of the Japanese imperial family'. Good to see the ideas of debate and reasoned argument are alive and kicking.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

“I don’t think Prince Hisahito plays computer games” like other boys his age, said Shinji Yamashita, a former official of the Imperial Household Agency and now a journalist specialising in royal matters...But he seems to be leading an unconstrained childhood.”

Because there IS life beyond computer games.

@Steven - the Commonwealth countries have all agreed to the change without any fuss. I don't think it will stall regardless of the sex of the baby.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Imagine, all that power... and no bloody video games. My empire for a PS3!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

It always amazes me to still see emperors, kings, queens, archdukes, princesses or any kind of these blood titles being discussed and nominated in the 21st century. Archaism nostalgia?

2 ( +5 / -3 )

I respect cultural habits, whatever or wherever they may be, but he will never know freedom as us mortals know it, not that we mortals are truly free. But a life planned out for him, a life not of his choosing, but just being born a boy.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If Princess Aiko were to take the throne, it would mean her child, whose father would come from an ordinary background, would be only linked to the imperial family through the maternal line. That has never happened in the past at least more than 1,000 years.

I sincerely doubt that this is true.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"I don't think Prince Hisahito plays computer games"

Good for him!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

If Prince marries to a commoner or a person of ordinary background then its ok, but if a Princess marries to a commoner then thats unacceptable....isnt that discrimination? Based on gender?? Either way the royal blood is mixed with a commoner and DNA is changed! Well I think because it is Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Absent are the boozy exploits of Prince Harry, the charming common touch of Prince William, or the crusading environmentalism of Prince Charles.

I should hope so. The prince isn't even 7 yet. Why would anyone bring up boozy exploits?!?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Nitpicking to be sure, but while the Succession Act has received royal assent in UK, it is not in force until ratified by the sixteen other nations of which the British monarch is also Head of State.

It is entirely likely that if William and Catherine's child is male, the ratification process will stall for another ~20 years, analagous to what happened in Japan.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I hear the real power in the households in the hands of the aids, not in the family. Such a shame if true

0 ( +2 / -2 )

what a terrible puff-piece that article is. The future of the monarchy is its inevitable demise. Society moves past such anachronisms and worthless divisions based on accidental birth. Fair play to this little boy, but he is no more special than any child born anywhere; and the amount of money and resources spent on him would be better diverted to those that need it.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

he is cute!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I sincerely doubt that this is true.

There were female Empresses but their successors were chosen from males of the Imperial bloodline. In fact the last female Empress was in the 1700's.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think there a lot of us that would love to have been in the shoes of any of those three people in the picture , be honest now!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Mow, he will have lonely life. National scholars of Japanese History will tutor him on history of his ancestors' achievement and how each accomplished, etc daily. Amaterasu-o-kami, to Emperor Shoiwa. Current Emperor was so lonely that he enjoyed tennis only. That was when he met current Empress in tennis court (only extremely wealthy people could afford to go) and fell in love. Empress's parents said 'Messo mo nai we are only commoners" and declined when media were asking,....Then he proposed. That time, people used to say only Imperial House male falls in love and propose. Finally, news came out and "Mitchi'/ became a new word in Japan (Mitti boom). Final word was from Showa Emperor and Empress that they married. We commoners had to study history differently. No freedom to be Crown Prince.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“The imperial family are not supposed to seek change themselves,” he said. “They adjust to the state of the country and reflect the values of Japanese people of their time,” he said.

I think this is a very interesting point, and seems to be what Japanese culture expects of leaders, both royal and otherwise.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I feel sorry for the royal family of Japan. Sure, their ancestors did some pretty terrible things, but I don't think that warrants turning this generation into what are essentially living, walking, talking museum pieces.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I respect cultural habits,

I do not understand what you meant "cultural habits". I disrespect "Ritualism" as it is an evil of democracy.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

So traditional

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

However much I think the notion of having a "royal family" in any country is a ridiculous an passé idea, at the least the Brits have managed to move into the 21st century, with at least somewhat fresh ideas regarding for example succession. Most other "royals" in Europe has done this too - it's not considered strange that a country would have a queen instead of a king.

Japan, on the other hand is just old. Old ideas, old mentality, old everything. First of all there has been female emperors way back when so it wouldn't be all that unthinkable. Secondly, anybody who buy this BS that "keeping alive a genealogical line traditionalists say can be traced back to a prehistoric goddess" is either a fool or is just incapable of logical reasoning. There is no freaking way the blood line of this so-called family is not mixed up with "commoners" many, many times. Get real people.

On a final note: heads of state, born into privileged positions, separated from normal lives and society has no place in any country in 2013. They fill no function whatsoever except perhaps helping old people believe in its nations former imagined greatness and superiority. That we can do without.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

asybot12,

You are kidding, of course. What sane person would ever want to be born into a pre-defined life, filled with obligations and totally deprived of anything even resembling free choice. Yeah, you jest.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Waxmen, is it sexism and yes, discrimination. This is Japan AND the royal family. No shockers, right?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

The Japanese imperial family are ridiculously smart intellectuals. They all hold somesort of degree from Harvard or Oxford.

Seriously if they weren't royals being puppeted around like robots they would be genius diplomats, biologists, economists, etc.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Tradition is what has kept the Japanese people together and strong.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Hope the best for him. Hope he understands the responsibility that he has that comes with his position.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

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