At the age of four, Naruhito was enrolled in the prestigious Gakushuin School. His parents, Crown Prince Akihito of Japan and Princess Michiko, from childhood encouraged their eldest son to play music (played the violin), rock climbing, tennis, horse riding and baseball (fan of the capital's Yomiuri Giants club). In 1974, Akihito sent him to Australia for a year to stay with his family, which set a precedent in the history of the imperial house. In high school, Naruhito, who was interested in the history of transportation, joined the geography club. He later recalled that since childhood he had taken a keen interest in roads: “Since I lead a life in which I have little chance of leaving freely, roads are a precious bridge to the unknown world.”
In 1978 he entered Gakushuin University. He graduated in March 1982 with a bachelor's degree in history, with a thesis on water transport systems of medieval Japan. In July 1983, he traveled to the UK for a three-month English language course and then studied at Merton College, Oxford University, where he continued to study the history of water transport. He graduated in 1986, but did not defend his dissertation. Returning to Japan, he re-entered Gakushuin, where in 1988 he received a master's degree in history (the first of the members of the imperial family). In 1992, he became a visiting researcher in the archives of this university.
Childhood and youth
The current emperor is the eldest son of Akihito, who ruled the country before him. He was born on February 23, 1960 in a hospital located in the Japanese capital in the palace of the ruling dynasty. Emperor Naruhito of Japan has an excellent sense of humor and more than once joked that he was born in a “barn surrounded by a moat,” since most of the buildings burned down during World War II and were restored after the birth of his first child.
A four-year-old boy went to study at Gakushuin. He played violin and rock climbing, and was a baseball player, equestrian and tennis player from his youth. 1974 turned out to be a turning point in his life - the teenager went to Australia to live with his family. There had never been anything like this in the history of Japanese rulers before him. As a high school student, he became interested in transport history and geography. He was always interested in the roads, which became for the boy, whose freedom of movement was always limited, a path into an unknown world.
Since 1978, Naruhito became a student at Gakushuin University and successfully completed his bachelor's degree in 1982. The topic of the thesis is the water transport systems of the homeland during the Middle Ages. The following year, he goes to England for 3 months to study the language and enters Merton, continuing to delve into the history of water transport. Having successfully completed college in 1986, Akihito’s son returned to Gakushuin and two years later became a master of history, and a year later received the status of crown prince. In 1992, he was officially invited to the university archives as a researcher.
The Emperor received an excellent education
Long farewell
Without exaggeration, Japan has been preparing for the change of emperors for many years. It all started back in 2016, when the now 85-year-old Emperor Akihito hinted that his venerable age and accompanying illnesses did not allow him to properly perform royal duties (and events with his participation averaged two hundred per year - from receiving foreign ambassadors who arrived in the country and seeing off the heads of Japanese diplomatic missions abroad before attending tea ceremonies and participating in tree planting). And since, according to a long-established tradition in Japan, only death could separate the emperor and the throne, parliament had to develop a special law on lifetime abdication in order to release Akihito early. And then, over the course of a year, thoroughly develop the ceremony of his solemn departure.
Japan
Emperor Akihito of Japan, accompanied by Crown Prince Naruhito, delivers a speech during the abdication ceremony at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo.
Photo: REUTERS/POOL
The next stage was the selection of a name for the new era: according to the tradition adopted from the Chinese in the middle of the 7th century, for each new stage of reign, Japan carefully selects its own name, symbolizing good wishes. And it even adheres to its own chronology along with the Gregorian calendar. For example, from January 8, 1989 to April 30 of this year, that is, during the reign of Akihito, the Japanese lived in the Heisei era.
Putin expressed gratitude to abdicated Emperor Akihito
As Nagoya University professor Hideya Kawanishi, who specializes in the history of imperial Japanese traditions, previously explained to Izvestia, although Heisei is translated as “establishment of peace,” when this era was mentioned, the Japanese more often recalled splits and disasters. Therefore, for the accession of the new emperor to the throne, they tried to choose the most positive slogan. On April 1, a special electoral college, in consultation with senior government officials, finally decided: On May 1, Japan will enter the Reiwa (令和) era. Later, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs even sent instructions to its embassies around the world that in English the meaning of these two hieroglyphs should be conveyed as beautiful harmony (“beautiful harmony”).
After this, it was finally time to prepare Akihito himself to leave. In total, on the eve of his abdication, the emperor had to perform 11 ceremonies and rituals, the last of which was a visit to his father’s mausoleum at the Musashino Imperial Cemetery.
Japan
Ceremony on the eve of the abdication of the throne of the Emperor of Japan
Photo: REUTERS/POOL
Crown Prince
Naruhito received the status of heir when his grandfather died and his father became the ruler of Japan. Akihito ascended the throne in the first month of 1989. From this moment on, his son represents the ruling dynasty and carries out his father’s assignments within the homeland and abroad. The new heir makes about 40 trips abroad as an imperial representative. In 1998, he patronized the Olympic Committee responsible for the games held in Nagano, and later received a seat on the International Olympic Committee.
As heir to the Japanese throne, Naruhito actively supported the scout movement.
Naruhito supports the scouts
First congratulations
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated the new Emperor of Japan on his accession to the throne. The text of the telegram was published on the Kremlin website. The Russian leader noted that relations between the two states are actively developing, and Moscow and Tokyo are actively involved in solving pressing regional and global problems. The Russian President's message notes that cooperation between the two countries meets the interests of both peoples and is aimed at strengthening stability and security in the world. In conclusion, Vladimir Putin wished the Japanese Emperor good health, prosperity and successful reign for the benefit of the people of Japan for many years to come.
Earlier, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory telegram to Naruhito, in the text of which he noted that the two countries have existed side by side since time immemorial. He noted that Japan and China should continue to develop friendly relations in the future, helping to strengthen peace on the planet. US President Donald Trump also congratulated the new Japanese emperor, conveying his best wishes on behalf of all Americans.
What you need to know about Naruhito
Naruhito's goal is to make people think about problems and actively solve them. He believes that demography and water conservation deserve special attention. Even before his father’s enthronement, he spoke at events more than once, calling for encouraging the birth rate in order to avoid a crisis that could undermine the country’s economy. In addition, he is convinced that humanity must jointly make efforts to preserve fresh water and replenish its reserves and sources. The world is entering a crisis; residents of a number of Asian and African countries do not have access to quality drinking water. At the same time, a new system of protection against tsunamis, floods, and other natural disasters is needed. He believes that humanity must come to harmony with the world's water supplies - this is the only way to further inhabit the planet.
The Emperor is a socially active person
Personal life
The wife of the Japanese ruler, Masako Owada, first received a proposal from her current husband at the age of 29. She worked as a diplomat in the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directly subordinate to her father, Hisashi Owada, who later became a judge at the International Court of Justice. The girl refused the first offer, but the second one turned out to be much more successful for Naruhito. The wedding ceremony was held on June 9, 1993. It attracted about 500 million viewers through the media and about 800 guests. The event was held at the Tokyo Imperial Shinto Shrine.
The couple has one child, daughter Aiko. The princess was born on the first day of December 2001. Soon work began on a bill allowing inheritance through the female line. Acceptance of the project could have made Aiko the first crown princess in the history of her native country, but at the beginning of 2007 it was announced that the proposal to make changes was withdrawn.
The emperor's wife is suffering from severe depression, although at the moment her health has noticeably improved. She avoids the public due to adjustment disorder syndrome and does not accompany her husband on trips abroad. The couple lives in Togu Palace.
The emperor has only one child - a daughter
Married a diplomat and has no male heir
Naruhito met his future wife Masako Owada in 1986. Masako studied economics at Harvard University. She also studied law at the University of Tokyo for six months. After this, she managed to qualify for a position at the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
It is known that the first time she rejected Naruhito’s marriage proposal because she did not want to give up her career in the Foreign Ministry. Masako agreed to marry Crown Prince Naruhito only in 1993. Their wedding took place on June 9, 1993 - Masako became the third woman of humble origin to join the imperial family.
Wedding of Naruhito and Masako June 9, 1993 / Photo: REUTERS / John Pryke
In 1999, it was announced that the Empress had become pregnant. However, then she had a miscarriage. In 2001, the only daughter of Naruhito and Masako, Aiko, was born. Since Naruhito and Masako do not have sons, after Aiko's birth, discussions began about the possibility of a woman inheriting the imperial throne of Japan. At the moment, the legislation necessary for this has not been adopted. The throne may also be inherited by the son of Naruhito's younger brother, born in 2006.
Since 2002, Masako has rarely appeared in public. In 2004, she was diagnosed with adjustment disorder, likely caused by the difficulties of being the crown prince's wife and pressure to produce a male heir.
Naruhito with his wife Masako and daughter Princess Aiko in February 2009 / Photo: REUTERS
In July 2008, Naruhito spoke during an eight-day trip to Spain without his wife, asking for Masako to be treated with understanding. “I ask you to understand that Masako is now doing everything she can to recover with the help of the people around her, and to treat her with generous patience,” Naruhito said at the time.
In a statement on her 49th birthday in December 2012, Masako said she was still undergoing treatment for her disease and thanked the Japanese people for their support.
In a December 2021 statement on her 55th birthday, Masako said she felt unsure about how useful she would be when her husband became Emperor of Japan. At the same time, she promised to fulfill her duties as empress to the best of her ability.
The life of a Japanese person without an emperor is impossible
Japan is the only country in whose history there has not been a single popular uprising against the imperial institution. The ruler of the state is a divine heir, a descendant of the Sun goddess, and until 1945 was considered a living god. Such a historical and cultural context explains why for a resident of the Land of the Rising Sun it is impossible, unacceptable, unimaginable for the absence of an emperor in the state.
Naruhito with his wife
Solving government issues
Day-to-day government affairs in Japan are handled by the Imperial Household Department, which operates under the Office of the Prime Minister. The head of the department is appointed by the Prime Minister with the consent of the Emperor and supervises the work of the staff, whose number in the early 80s. exceeded 1 thousand people.
If a regency is established, the Regent acts on behalf of the Emperor. In addition, the Emperor, in accordance with the law, may entrust other persons with the exercise of his powers. The Emperor has to carry out a number of foreign policy activities not only individually, but also with members of the imperial family.
The monarch is also present at various national holidays and official celebrations. At such events, conversations are held with scientists, artists and other specialists in various fields. The Emperor frequently visits social welfare facilities, industrial enterprises, scientific centers, art exhibitions and charity events.
