April is a month of special significance for Japanese. Among other things, the San Francisco Peace Treaty took effect on April 28, 1952, enabling Japan to restore sovereignty after seven years of US occupation. The Showa Emperor (Emperor Hirohito, 1901-1989) was also born in April, on the 29th.

　　　　　After the demise of Emperor Hirohito, his birthday was renamed “Green Day”—a puzzling name change indeed for a public holiday honoring the emperor of the Showa Era. In 2006, it was again renamed—this time as “Showa Day” under the first administration of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, finally bearing a name that aptly reflects the historical significance of the Showa Emperor. At the same time, “Green Day” was moved to May 4 to fill the gap during the “Golden Week” holiday season between two public holidays—“Constitution Memorial Day” on May 3 and “Children’s Day” on May 5. On the other hand, little attention has been paid to April 28, which authentically deserves to be celebrated across the nation as the very day on which Japan regained its sovereignty nearly six decades ago.

　　　　　Looking at this year’s calendar, one notices that another national holiday, “Mountain Day,” will fall on August 11 to “provide opportunities to enjoy mountains and appreciate their blessings.” Sources in the government explain that the new public holiday was introduced in order to provide a balance with “Marine Day,” which has been celebrated as a public holiday since 1996.

　　　　　With this new public holiday added, the total number of national holidays has increased to 16 a year—the most among advanced nations. Italy, where its people give the general impression that they are more eager to enjoy life than work, has the second largest number of public holidays after Japan—13. France has 11 national holidays a year, the US 10, Germany 9, and Britain 8.

　　　　　National holidays can be viewed as rewards to a nation’s workforce for hard work. But Japanese labor productivity is low in proportion to the number of its public holidays—more than 40% lower than the US and 20% lower than Germany. In point of fact, the low labor productivity is nothing to be proud of, as it constitutes the primary factor contributing to Japan’s sluggish economic growth after its bubble economy burst in the early 1990s. I don’t think the government has made the right move by adding another national holiday on such unconvincing grounds that a “Mountain Day” is necessary to match “Marine Day.”

　　　　　Each national holiday must have a specific meaning behind it. A public holiday should be a day on which those born and raised in Japan should not just take a day off, but trace their nation’s history in an attempt to understand how Japan has evolved as a nation. Here lies the importance of giving thought to what April 28 means to us.

“Private Events” of Imperial Family

　　　　　There is yet another important day in April—the 2,600th anniversary of the demise of Emperor Jinmu, the mythical first emperor to ascend to the Japanese throne. The Japanese press only sketchily reported Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko’s visit on April 3 to Jinmu’s mausoleum in Kashihara City, Nara Prefecture, to mark the occasion with a special imperial memorial service conducted in accordance with Shinto rites. The emperor and empress were accompanied by Prince Akishino and Princess Kiko, their second son and his wife. At the mausoleum, the emperor read an “o-tsuge-bumi” message expressing his reverence towards the departed soul of his great ancestor, who came 125 generations before him, and then paid homage to Kashiwara Shrine, which enshrines Jinmu. In the meantime, Crown Prince Naruhito, the imperial couple’s eldest son, and his wife Masako attended a rite at the “Koreiden” imperial ancestors’ shrine inside the Imperial Court in Tokyo, donning “costumes dating back to ancient times,” according to the press.

　　　　　Strangely, none of the press reports conveyed a precise picture of what these rites were all about or how they were conducted. What was the content of the message Emperor Akihito read at the imperial mausoleum? Jinmu is the first emperor of the Japanese imperial family, which continues to constitute the central spiritual axis of Japanese cohesiveness. It is only natural for the public to take a keen interest in what the present emperor had to say in his message representing the people of Japan. I believe the press has the responsibility to at least report on the gist of the emperor’s message.

　　　　　Also, I wonder what the “costumes dating back to ancient times” looked like. The press should have provided some information to help us visualize the rites.

　　　　　One further wonders if the Crown Prince and Princess performed a ritual fast and self-purification before getting dressed for the occasion. Or, was such a rigid ritual not required this time? Can the attendance by Crown Princess Masako, who due to failing health had stayed away from most of the Shinto rituals within the imperial family over the past 15 years, be interpreted as a happy sign that she is finally improving? Going forward, will she be able to actively involve herself in Shinto rituals, which are central to the activities of the imperial family? We need to know about these and many other matters pertaining to the imperial family.

　　　　　In his The Full Scope of the Emperor’s Duties (Kodansha, Tokyo; 2009), Sankei Shimbun journalist Masato Yamamoto sums up the memorial for Emperor Jinmu as follows:

　　　　　“The April 3 memorial rite for Emperor Jinmu begins at 10 a.m. in the ‘Koreiden’ shrine honoring the imperial ancestry within the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. Musicians from the Imperial Household Agency plays a gagaku (ancient court music) passage called “Azuma Asobi.” The emperor then reads his message and the empress, the crown prince, and crown princess bow their heads in worship in this order in front of the shrine. Then starts a Shinto music and dance performance called ‘Koreiden Mi-kagura,’ which lasts from 5 p.m. through just before dawn the next day.”

　　　　The full-day rites and the “Mikagura” music and dance portray Japan’s long history over which generations of past emperors have expressed their thanks to Emperor Jinmu, doing their best to please his soul. As this year featured the special ritual marking the 2,600th anniversary of Jinmu’s demise, the elderly imperial couple obviously determined to travel all the way to Akihara Shrine in Nara Prefecture, 350 miles from Tokyo to pay homage.

　　　　　Despite the importance of the April 3 ritual, however, the Japanese media failed to report on what the public really needed to know. Is it because, under our present constitution, all of the Shinto rites conducted at the Imperial Palace are construed as “private events” of the imperial family? Shinto rites have always been the primary task of the imperial family; and that should be no different today. Imperial rites conducted at the palace used to be national events. But the present constitution downgraded them to private events of the imperial family no different from those engaged in by any average Japanese family. Because they are “private family events,” the media reports on them only sporadically, with the public unable to read or hear about the details of these events. Unfortunately for Japan, the distance between the imperial family and the people continues to widen.

Need to Better Understand Japan’s National Character

　　　　　Chinese Communist Party Chairman Xi Jinping promotes the dream of “the revival of a great China.” There is no guarantee Xi’s plans for a strong China will succeed, but China continues to be a threat to its neighbors, compelling them to block Beijing’s attempts to bring them under her influence. China’s biggest target is Japan.

　　　　　China is desperately trying to shatter the spiritual backbone of Japan, as is clearly demonstrated by its tenacious campaign to globally spread greatly false versions of the history between the two nations, particularly as regards World War II. In order not to fall prey to this Chinese conspiracy, we Japanese must first of all thoroughly understand our own history. We must appreciate our own national character in order to realize the core values that differentiate Japan from China, and confidently promote them as we endeavor to contribute to the peace and stability of the international community.

　　　　　If we can manage to comprehend how our traditional values were handed down from Prince Shotoku (574-622) to Emperor Tenmu (? – 686) to Emperor Seimu (701-756), I am sure we will be able to reach an understanding of the essential national character of our nation.

　　　　　Prince Shotoku dispatched Onono Imoko to China under the Sui Dynasty, succeeding in winning equal footing with Sui for Japan. He wrote the 17-article Constitution in 604, establishing the fundamental value of cherishing the people as a basic principle at the time. This is the exact opposite of China.

　　　　　Emperor Tenmu won the Jinshin War (672), a succession dispute at the court between those willing to yield to Chinese influence and those determined to safeguard the way of Yamato (ancient Japan) in the face of threats from the Tang Dynasty. Tenmu’s victory enabled him to continue Prince Shotoku’s principle of governance committed to avoiding subjugation to China. The national character of ancient Japan having been preserved, Hieda-no-Are was then able to record in the Kojiki (720) the oral tradition of the creation of the nation. Told in the ancient Yamato language, the story of the Kojiki had been handed down generation to generation, and is of course still with us to this day.

　　　　　Emperor Seimu, who thoroughly respected Prince Shotoku and Emperor Tenmu, fulfilled his responsibilities as an emperor committed to Shinto services, consistently praying for the wellbeing of the nation and the people. In years of rich harvest, Seimu drastically reduced taxes for farmers, while his wife Empress Komyo established charitable organizations, such as Seyaku-in and Hiden-in, to help the sick and the poor.

　　　　　This history of the imperial family marked by commitment and devotion to the people, I believe, is the source of the compassion with which the Emperor and Empress face and pray for the nation today. I sincerely hope that all of the people in Japan regard as the source of our true national strength what we can amply learn in terms of our national character from the calendar of April.

(Translated from “Renaissance Japan” column no. 700 in the April 14, 2016 issue of The Weekly Shincho)