national

Princess Aiko goes through official coming of age ceremonies

31 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

31 Comments
Login to comment

CONGRATLATION Aiko, best of luck in the new era.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Bring her into the succession line to the Throne by modifying the Imperial House Law.

5 ( +16 / -11 )

Not Queen, it is Empress.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

never really understood why Japan has a Emperor when it doesn't have an empire

The title was called in reference to Mikado then in Kyoto and used in official docs by foreign delegates late the 19 th century, before the Japanese Empire being establised. It's more customary now. Don't know why they didn't use other titles such as king.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

An empire is just a collection of kingdoms. It can be on any size as long as it is a collection of kingdoms.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The princess stood straight and tall as she received the medal from her father while under his warm gaze"

Who writes these press releases...it reads like something from 1921 not 2021.

It's about the monarchy......an institution that has no place in the modern world, what do you expect??

2 ( +9 / -7 )

**kwatt: . . . so government decides everything for people . . .

That means that nothing can go wrong! Cough, cough, . . .

It seems to me government really did good job for its own people. Japan have not had war for 76 years. It means no single man died at war.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Derek Grebe

I never really understood why Japan has a Emperor when it doesn't have an empire any more? Could you explain it for me?

The Empire referred to the 7th century Japan, not pre-WW2 Japan.

You can find some historical information of Japan in Chinese chronicles. One such record tells us about a situation of Japan (or Wa) in 3rd century, when Japan was divided into more than 100 nations, fighting each other.

Japan was eventually united by Yamato Clan sometimes before 5th century. The king of Yamato Clan then was called OHKIMI or 大王 (Great King), a head of federation of kingdoms within Japan. In the 7th century, the current use of title SUMERAMIKOTO or 天皇 (translated as Emperor) started being used when Yamato Clan try to centralize Japan.

The Emperor of Japan refers to that time when Japan was made up of many kingdoms. And the usage remained till today.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Kwatt:

Not Queen, it is Empress.

I never really understood why Japan has a Emperor when it doesn't have an empire any more? Could you explain it for me?

1 ( +8 / -7 )

I am glad she is doing well. She had quite a sad childhood back when she was young. Happy to see that she grow up alright.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

I think you mean the US did a good job to ensure Japan not start a war....

I think so. J government has used all kinds of ways to avoid war. It seems to me constitution article 9 or presence of US military,,,, is one of them.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Everyone here is demanding that laws change and Japan foists this young woman into a very serious lifetime position...all without bothering to ask the woman if that's actually what SHE wants? Sheesh!

What if she sees being a "commoner" as a truly liberating, and life-freeing experience? Who are you to demand anything from her?

The word "Emperor" in English comes from Imperium, Imperator etc. in Latin, which basically means "the holding of power." You don't need an "empire" to be an "Emperor." (Though you can be and have both.)

Many successful Roman generals were hailed as "Imperator" even when Rome was not an "empire", while the first Emperor of the "Roman Empire", Augustus, born Gaius Octavius, actually put "Imperator" (meaning "general" or "commander") into his official name: Imperator Caesar Augustus, Divi Fili. Most "emperors" in the west have historically sought to appropriate this past lustrous title in a bid to bolster their legitimacy, with or without empires.

The Japanese word "Tenno", translated into English as "emperor", is a direct copy of its Chinese equivalent, and again, no one in China needed an "empire" to be an "emperor".

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Pretty princess

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The time has come for Japan to consider a QUEEN and I am looking at one.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Why should Monarchy be a thing of the past? In countries that do it is almost universally well supported. This who hail from a Republic would never understand.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Aiko is one cool lady. I just hope the I H A refrain from bullying and persecuting her as they did with her mother.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@smith

You are thinking too much about war. Abe what? He is just another politician. Never prime minister again. Government probably wants to revise the constitution article 9 but most people still don' t want change, but some other articles seems okay because those don't fit future. US and Japan are allies now. it seems not easy to sign the bans of nuclear weapons as long as there are US military bases in Japan. You really think Emperor can do a better job? He is a symbol of Japan and is incapable about politics in the first place. Name of Emperor/Empress has nothing to do with empire (of Japan) anymore. I think It is just customary names for loyal family for a long time.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Official?

I bet most people read that without blinking and thinking it's a real thing.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

… the princess stood straight and tall …

Better than crooked and short, I guess.

-3 ( +11 / -14 )

She would make the perfect Emperor for Japan by Jiisans holding in govt don’t want a Female Emperor which is really sad

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

monarchy is thing of past,Japan is no exception

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

kwatt: "I think so. J government has used all kinds of ways to avoid war. It seems to me constitution article 9 or presence of US military,"

I always love how people constantly pat themselves on the back for the Constitution -- even suggesting it's been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize (when they have no idea who the nominees are), and yet they stand behind people like Abe and Co. who literally want to revise Article 9 so Japan has war making power again, and when they refuse to sign nuclear weapons bans, or who refused to call the situation in South Sudan "fighting" when Japanese troops stationed there (you know, in "self-defense") WERE involved in some incidents the government refuses to fully disclose, because calling it "fighting" would have meant resignation for Inaba and trouble for Abe, etc.

The government has NOT done a good job in defending the nation, and seems intent to return to the "glories" of past Japan, with Abe more than once lamenting how Japan is not the "beautiful Japan" of his grandfather's time (ie. before Japan lost the war), and they are sliding back in the wrong direction, led by fools. I actually think the Emperor and family might do a better job, if not controlled by the IHA in what they can say and/or do. But back to the question, since you insist on the term "Emperor" and "Empress", etc. why are they called that when there is no empire?

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

@Derek

I don't know much about it. Emperor is a symbol of the country. If he decided everything for all people, country may go wrong, so government decides everything for people instead of Emperor's decision.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Better call him Tennoheika instead Emperor. There is no empire here.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Now she’s an adult the IHA and the media have carte blanche to rip her to shreds.

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

It seems to me government really did good job for its own people. Japan have not had war for 76 years. It means no single man died at war.

I think you mean the US did a good job to ensure Japan not start a war....

-6 ( +7 / -13 )

They are confused what royalty means and especially since they're not worshipped as God's anymore.

The emperor is not really an emperor and she's not a princess.

Too sad to be funny

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites