Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
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Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#2 “I am concerned that it will become more and more difficult
for me to fulfill my duties as a symbolic emperor”
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#3Does anyone know how much of the 2,700 year 'official genealogy' is credible?
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#4I propose a deal: Let the man rest in exchange for the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. Symbolic or not, it's outmoded and incongruent with modern egalitarian society. The list of constitutional monarchies is rather embarrassingly long (37 countries).
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#5Does anyone know how much of the 2,700 year 'official genealogy' is credible?
Not a lot of it. Before the 6th century AD, things get very murky, and belong more to the discipline of archaeology than to history. Aside from some nutty right-wingers, the Japanese are not under any illusions about this.
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#6I propose a deal: Let the man rest in exchange for the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. Symbolic or not, it's outmoded and incongruent with modern egalitarian society. The list of constitutional monarchies is rather embarrassingly long (37 countries).
ay-men
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#7I propose a deal: Let the man rest in exchange for the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. Symbolic or not, it's outmoded and incongruent with modern egalitarian society. The list of constitutional monarchies is rather embarrassingly long (37 countries).
The problem with replacing constitutional monarchs is that they know their place, but the heads of state who would replace them might not. After all, they are likely to be elected, and could therefore have a viable claim to legitimacy in the exercise of their prerogatives. The Japanese emperor has no political power, and really doesn't cost the country that much to keep around.
Remember that in parliamentary systems, the head of state and the head of government (the prime minister) are not the same person. In some countries, like Germany and Italy, the head of state is an elected president, usually an fairly elderly politician. The emperor of Japan would have to be replaced as head of state by someone holding some new office, who would do pretty much the same things the emperor does now, at a similar cost to the taxpayer. It wouldn't be the prime minister.
There is a similar aspect to the debate around House of Lords reform in the UK. A lot of people in the House of Commons don't want an elected House of Lords, because if it were elected, the Lords would have democratic legitimacy just as the Commons does, and could therefore make a reasonable case that it should have a lot more political power than it has now.
So, beware of unintended consequences.
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#8“I am concerned that it will become more and more difficult for me to fulfill my duties as a symbolic emperor” This sounds like the opening or the punchline for a Dilbert strip!
I see how it can sound ridiculous if we take "symbolic" into any other context. But in this case the symbolic part is a really big deal, just as the pope has a symbolic role that affects a ton of people.
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#9I propose a deal: Let the man rest in exchange for the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. Symbolic or not, it's outmoded and incongruent with modern egalitarian society. The list of constitutional monarchies is rather embarrassingly long (37 countries).
Nothing wrong with a constitutional monarchy. You get all the benefits from democratically chosen representatives without the downside of the 4-year moodswings. The monarch will always choose what is best for the country instead of what is best for the currently ruling party. It looks at long-term vision instead of just the 4-year term. It takes care of continuity instead of the "this will not be my problem in 6 months" effect you currently see with Obama.
Re: Emperor Akihito of Japan Raises Possibility of Leaving Throne
#10I propose a deal: Let the man rest in exchange for the abolishment of the constitutional monarchy. Symbolic or not, it's outmoded and incongruent with modern egalitarian society. The list of constitutional monarchies is rather embarrassingly long (37 countries).
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