Emperor Akhito and his Heisei Era has officially come to a close like 3 hours ago (in Japan it is now current May 1st). In a 10 minute ceremony, his son Naruhito took the Chrysantheum Throne and issued in the Reiwa Era for Japan. Of course due to the Post-WW2 treaty Japan Emperor (once view as a puppet during shogunate era and then as a god during Meiji Restoration and now once again a “ceremonial role” with Prime Minister AKA head of the Shinzo Shogunate holding all of the power anyways).
Throughout Akhito rein, he tried to make admends for Japan war crimes in WW2 and to make peace with the other countries. He inherited the throne from his father Hirohito who was actually captured by the US during the war and return to Japan after WW2. Hirohito focus more on reconstruction thanks to US two atomic bombs which decimated Nagasaki and Hiroshima leaving the Japanese economy was in shambles. Throughout Akhito rein, he traveled to many Asian countries apologizing on the behalf of the Japanese war crimes (like Nanjing). “Peaceful Pacifist” tone characterizing the Heisei Era did bring some forgiveness but in some ways it wasn’t that successful, thanks in part to many of the Asian countries being extremely nationalistic. Yes while KPop has been one of those bridges (it dominates Japan markets) and idol groups in KPop usually have one or two Japanese members (like TWICE) but still even South Korea haven’t forgotten what befell them in war times. None of the Asian countries ever truly forgot, even in this new generation that wasn’t directly affected they are still hating. SNSD’s Tiffany career almost died when she tweeted/snapchatted the Japan Rising Empire flag (which is pretty woke move) on independence day. JYP Entertainment is currently under a lot of heat for Nixi Project to find an ALL JAPANESE group. Even the US who wasn’t adversely affected remember Pearl Harbor and (although not a holiday) every December 7th we are reminded of “the day which will live in infamy”. Not only that apparently today TWICE’s Sana express her “sadness” at seeing the era that she was born in come to an end and she was being call a Jap by the South Koreans (YEAH SANA, YOU DON’T SEE MINA AND MOMO SAYING THAT). The Chinese, oh my don’t get me started, ok we can have mass killings, if ONLY those killings are orchastrated by the Chinese themselves, we can’t have any other “barbaric” race killing us! Three Kingdoms and Taiping Rebellion is fine because it was Chinese on Chinese Violence (all of these events killed a lot, possibly more than WW1). My chinese friend over here (who was born literally in the 21st century) called Japanese exchange students that came over one year to my school “japs”.
Naruhito is set to continued the tone of being pacifist (even though Japan is finally able to build a military now! Thank you Shogun Shinzo) and also inheriting the throne at a trouble time for Japan. Low birth rate, work culture (yo I think there’s a trend of college/high school graduate shutting themselves indoor and gaming), and gender inequality (not make my sandwich, it’s make my tea!) runs rampant throughout Japan. The royal family though is at least admired throughout Japan, Emperor Akhito gaining street cred when he travel throughout Japan to meet with Tsunami survivors and Naruhito is getting street cred being a dedicated husband. Naruhito is also taking the throne at a perilourous time for the royal family, there’s officially only 3 people in the royal family that can actually take the throne (women are not allow to take the throne, and when they marry they have to renounce all imperial titles) and only one of them is under the age of 50. Naruhito has expressed desire to have women being able to take the throne if necessary.
Let’s see what Reiwa holds for Japan and its future. Espcially entertainment wise!
Fun Fact: Japan Monarchy is the oldest monarchy in the world. They only have had one dynasty (Yammato) EVER since like 400 BC or something (maybe it was a little bit later).
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