Full text of Emperor Naruhito's 62nd Birthday Press Conference (3) On Mako Komuro and History of Imperial Family

 

On Mako Komuro and History of Imperial Family

The parent article is here.

Press: In October of last year, Mako Komuro, your niece, left the Imperial Family due to her marriage. What is His Majesty's perception of the unusual course of events, in which no lump-sum payment was made and no ceremony was held, and the impact on the Imperial Family? What are your thoughts on the weekly magazine reports and Internet postings that are said to have affected Mako's physical condition, as well as on the way the Imperial Family disseminates information?

 

Emperor: I have watched Princess Mako grow up as my niece and nephew since she was a small child, and after she reached adulthood, she was sincerely involved in various official activities until she left the Imperial Family through marriage last autumn.

 

Based on the circumstances leading up to the marriage, including the various opinions about the marriage, it was decided that the Noh-ai Ceremony and other ceremonies would be conducted at the discretion of the Akishino family, and that the Asami Ceremony and other ceremonies would not be conducted at my discretion.

 

I hope that she will lead a happy life in the future, but at the same time, I am distressed that she has caused so many people to worry about her during this time. As I mentioned last year, I believe that the basis of the Imperial Family's way of being and activities is to always wish for the happiness of the people and to share their sufferings with them. I also believe that it is important for the Imperial Family to fulfill its duties in accordance with the changing times and the changing society, responding to the situation. I believe that the relationship of trust between the people and the Imperial Family will be built as each of the members of the Imperial Family sincerely faces these roles, fulfills their duties one by one while wishing for the happiness of the people, and engages in heart-to-heart exchanges with the people. At the same time, I also believe that it is important to properly convey information about the Imperial Family.

 

週刊誌報道やインターネット上の書き込みについては、人々が自分の意見や考えを自由に表現できる権利は、憲法が保障する基本的人権として、誰もが尊重すべきものですし、人々が自由で多様な意見を述べる社会をつくっていくことは大切なことと思います。その中にあって、一般論になりますが、他者に対して意見を表明する際には、時に、その人の心や立場を傷つけることもあるということを常に心にとどめておく必要があると思います。他者の置かれた状況にも想像力を働かせ、異なる立場にあったり、異なる考えを持つ人々にも配慮し、尊重し合える寛容な社会が築かれていくことを願っております。

 

Press: The government's expert panel has compiled a report and proposed two ways to secure the number of members of the Imperial Family: one is for female members of the Imperial Family to remain in the Imperial Family after marriage, and the other is for male members of the former Imperial Family to be adopted. On the other hand, looking back at the history of the Imperial Family, we can see that there have been many times in the past when there was a crisis over the Imperial Throne, and each time it was overcome. How does His Majesty, who has studied the emperors in depth, perceive the long history of the succession of the throne up to the present day?

 

Looking back at the history of the Imperial Family, there have been various events in the course of the succession of the Imperial Throne, such as the Jinshin Rebellion in ancient times and the civil war between the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the Middle Ages, where the future of the succession to the Imperial Throne became an issue. In the midst of all this, I am reminded of the words of His Majesty the Emperor, who once said that the Emperor has traditionally stood in the spiritual position of sharing the sufferings of the people. I believe that the feelings expressed in these words are not unique to His Majesty the Emperor, but can be understood by all the emperors of the past.

 

During my visit to Nishio City in Aichi Prefecture in 2016, I visited the Iwase Library to see Emperor Go Nara's Shinkan Hannya Shingyo Sutra, which was copied by the emperor himself when he was pained by the suffering of people due to famine and epidemics caused by floods and other weather conditions. The sutra was copied by the emperor himself and dedicated to shrines and temples in various countries. At Daigoji Temple in Kyoto, I saw Emperor Go'nara's Heart Sutra, in which he wrote in the back of the sutra, "As the father and mother of my people, I am pained by my inability to spread virtue. At Daikakuji Temple, we also saw the Heart Sutra, which is said to belong to Emperor Saga, as well as the Heart Sutra copied by Emperors Go-Kogon, Go-Hanazono, Go-Nara, Oogimachi, and Kokaku. I was reminded once again that the emperors of the past had always prayed for the peace of the country and the well-being of the people, while worrying about the people and society.

 

I think it is also important when considering the history of the emperor that he placed importance on learning, which is not a military skill but a literary skill. For example, in the so-called "Kaitaishi no Sho," written by Emperor Hanazono to Crown Prince Takehito Kazuhito during the Kamakura period, he first of all stressed the importance of accumulating virtue, and to do so, he explained that one must study in the sense that it includes morality and etiquette. I was deeply moved by these thoughts of the emperors of the past.

 

I would like to treasure the teachings gleaned from the Imperial Writings of past Emperors as one of the guideposts that will guide me in fulfilling my duties as Emperor. I would also like to keep in mind the conduct of successive Emperors who have succeeded to the throne with this in mind, and while continuing my studies and research, I would like to make further efforts to fulfill my duties as a symbol, thinking of the people and staying close to them.

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