Emperor of the Rising Sun
{ JaPan }
The world’s oldest continuous hereditary monarchy is
in Japan. Emperor Akihito, the reigning emperor, is the
125th ruler to sit on the Chrysanthemum Throne in an
unbroken line dating back to 660 BCE.
As he is now 83 years old, and not in particularly
strong health, there have been some indications that he
may abdicate for his son, the crown prince Naruhito, to
ascend to the throne. But at the time of writing, Akihito
remains in power.
The Emperor of Japan is the head of state, but as the
country has been a constitutional monarchy since 1947,
it is largely a ceremonial position. Unlike many other
monarchies, the emperor is neither the nominal chief
executive nor the commander in chief of the armed
forces – these responsibilities fall to the prime minister
and the cabinet. Tradition has it, however, that the
emperor is descended from the sun goddess Amaterasu,
and so he is also a religious authority in the Shinto
religion, and must participate in certain sacred rites.
The standing of the royal family in Japan is unusually
strong, no doubt in part due to the longevity of the
monarchy as an institution, and the political stability it
has brought the country. Emperor Akihito has pushed
back at attempts by the prime minister to elevate him to
the near-god status enjoyed by his ancestors, but he is
nevertheless revered by the majority of Japanese people.
There is widespread support for his son, Naruhito, to
succeed him when he is ready to step down.“I believe women have played major roles,
both tangible or intangible, in the imperial family”- Emperor Akihito
IMAGE © SHUTTERSTOCKheritage