Although Japan became a major industrial power and completed its cultural westernisation after the Second World War, the imperial family and their mandarins at the royal palace still seem reluctant to open up the mysterious Chrysanthemum throne.
As the contemporary monarch of Japan, what does Emperor Akihito think about the opening ceremony of the World Cup on 31 May in the Korean capital, Seoul?
Last year he said: I, on my part, feel a certain kinship with Korea, given the fact that it is recorded in the Chronicles of Japan that the mother of Emperor Kammu was of the line of King Muryong (of Korea). The Emperors remarks were reportedly interpreted as his willingness to travel to Seoul for the ceremony.
Yet despite the fact that the South Korean government invited the Emperor and Empress Michiko to Seoul, he will not be able to attend even though it is certainly a once in a lifetime honour for him.
Reports from Tokyo (see the BBC, 15 May 2002) say the government and the Imperial Household agency, which oversees the ritual of the imperial family, thought the time was not right for him to visit Seoul. Instead of the couple, Prince Takamado, a cousin of the Emperor, will pay a rare visit to a former colony of the Japanese imperial army.
Two monarchies
The sociologist Anthony Woodiwiss, who was a visiting professor at a Japanese university, explains the difference of the British monarchy and the Japanese one. He says the British monarchy is more responsible to public demand. He, however, adds that the latter is partly manufactured by the media, and members of the royal family act like characters in a soap opera at times.
My advice to the Japanese monarchy, says the professor, is that they should avoid the soap opera side of the British monarchy and keep their private life out of the media as they do now.
Surely they do. In 1998, at a press conference before his first visit to the UK, a reporter - referring to the British Queens official visit to a family-operated pub in Topsham, Devon earlier that year - asked Emperor Akihito whether he would like to visit a Japanese-style pub to speak directly with his people. Citing the national, traditional differences of the two countries, the Emperor implicitly avoided answering the question : we must take into account what the Japanese people want.
The majority of the Japanese public seems ready to accept a female Emperor in the future. According to a survey conducted by a national daily last December, 86 per cent of respondents were in favour of a female head of state.
In addition, a member of the imperial family also supports the idea, although the Imperial House Law would need to be revised to pave the way for a Queen.
Can you imagine Japan without the Chrysanthemum throne? "What part does the monarchy play in your sense of national identity? Probably not many Japanese can come up with convincing answers, even self-proclaimed rightwing nationalists.
However, it is hardly surprising that Emperor Akihito himself could imagine Japan without a monarch on at least one day the day of the World Cup opening ceremony. Meanwhile, the Emperor will be able to watch the Final match of the tournament. Perhaps his imagination will go to the point of politely shouting towards the pitch, or waving his hands with hundreds of thousands of football fans from around the globe.
