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{{Japanese Imperial Family}}
{{Japanese Imperial Family}}


{{Nihongo|'''Naruhito'''|徳仁|extra=born 23 February 1960}} is the [[Emperor of Japan]]. He succeeded to the [[Chrysanthemum Throne]] on 1 May 2019, following the [[2019 Japanese imperial transition|abdication]] of his father, [[Akihito]], at the end of 30 April 2019, beginning the [[Reiwa period]]. According to Japan's [[List of Emperors of Japan|traditional order of succession]], he is the 126th member of the world's oldest reigning dynasty.
{{Nihongo|'''Naruhito'''|徳仁|extra=born 23 February 1960}} is the [[Emperor of Japan]]. He succeeded to the [[Chrysanthemum Throne]] on 1 May 2019, following the [[2019 Japanese imperial transition|abdication]] of his father, [[Akihito]], at the end of 30 April 2019, beginning the [[Reiwa period]]. According to Japan's [[List of Emperors of Japan|traditional order of succession]], he is the 126th member of the dynasty.


== Name ==
== Name ==

Revision as of 19:52, 1 May 2019

This article is about the Emperor of Japan. For other people with this name, see Naruhito (given name).

Naruhito
Naruhito, as Crown Prince, in 2018
Emperor of Japan
Reign1 May 2019 – present
PredecessorAkihito
Heir presumptiveFumihito
Prime MinisterShinzō Abe
BornNaruhito (徳仁)
(1960-02-23) 23 February 1960 (age 64)
Imperial Household Agency Hospital, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan
Spouse
​
(m. 1993)​
IssueAiko, Princess Toshi
HouseImperial House of Japan
FatherAkihito
MotherMichiko
ReligionShinto

Naruhito (徳仁, born 23 February 1960) is the Emperor of Japan. He succeeded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on 1 May 2019, following the abdication of his father, Akihito, at the end of 30 April 2019, beginning the Reiwa period. According to Japan's traditional order of succession, he is the 126th member of the dynasty.

Name

In Japan, the Emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Majesty the Emperor" (天皇陛下, Tennō Heika) which may be shortened to 'His Majesty' (陛下, Heika).[1] In writing, the Emperor is also referred to formally as "The Reigning Emperor" (今上天皇, Kinjō Tennō). The era of Naruhito's reign bears the name "Reiwa" (令和), and according to custom he will be renamed Emperor Reiwa (令和天皇, Reiwa Tennō, see "posthumous name") by order of the Cabinet after his death. The name of the next era under his successor will be established after his death or before his abdication.[2]

Early life

Naruhito in February 1961

Naruhito was born on the 23rd of February 1960 at 4:15 pm in the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace.[3] The prince later quipped, "I was born in a barn inside the moat".[4] His mother is a convert to Shinto from Roman Catholicism. Prior to Naruhito's birth, the announcement of the-then Crown Prince Akihito's engagement and marriage to Michiko Shōda (later Empress Michiko) had drawn opposition from traditionalist groups, because Michiko came from a Roman Catholic family.[5] Although she was never baptized, she was educated in Catholic schools and seemed to share the faith of her parents. Rumors also speculated that Empress Kōjun had opposed the engagement. After the death of Naruhito's paternal-grandmother Empress Kōjun in 2000, Reuters reported that she was one of the strongest opponents of her son's marriage, and that in the 1960s, she had driven her daughter-in-law and grandchildren to depression by persistently accusing her of not being suitable for her son.[6]

Naruhito's childhood was reported to be happy, and he enjoyed activities such as mountain climbing, riding and learning the violin. He played with the children of the royal chamberlain, and he was a fan of the Yomiuri Giants in the Central League, his favorite player being No. 3-turned-team manager Shigeo Nagashima. One day, Naruhito found the remains of an ancient roadway on the palace grounds, sparking a lifelong fascination with the history of transportation, which would provide the subject of his bachelor's and master's degrees in history.[7] He later said, "I have had a keen interest in roads since childhood. On roads you can go to the unknown world. Since I have been leading a life where I have few chances to go out freely, roads are a precious bridge to the unknown world, so to speak."[8]

In August 1974, when the prince was 14, he was sent to Melbourne, Australia, for a homestay. Naruhito's father, then the Crown Prince Akihito, had a positive experience there on a trip the year before and encouraged his son to go as well.[9] He stayed with the family of businessman Colin Harper.[10] He got along with his host brothers, riding around Point Lonsdale, playing violin and tennis, and climbing Uluru together.[11] Once he even played violin for dignitaries at a state dinner at Government House hosted by Governor-General Sir John Kerr.[12]

Bildung

File:6اليابان.jpg
Crown Prince Naruhito in 1990

When Naruhito was four years old he was enrolled in the prestigious Gakushūin school system, where many of Japan's elite families and narikin (nouveau riche) send their children.[13] In senior high, Naruhito joined the geography club.[14]

Naruhito graduated from Gakushuin University in March 1982 with a Bachelor of Letters degree in History.[15] In July of the next year he entered a three-month intensive English course before entering Merton College, Oxford University, in the United Kingdom,[16] where he would study until 1986. Naruhito would not, however, submit his thesis A Study of Navigation and Traffic on the Upper Thames in the 18th Century until 1989.[17] He later revisited these years in his book, The Thames and I – a Memoir of Two Years at Oxford. Among his sightseeing destinations were some 21 historic pubs, including the Trout Inn and The White Hart.[18] Naruhito joined the Japan Society and the drama society, and was the honorary president of the karate and judo clubs.[19] He played inter-college tennis, seeding number three out of six on the Merton team,[19] and took golf lessons from a pro.[19] In his three years at Merton he also climbed the highest peaks in three of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom: Scotland's Ben Nevis, Wales' Snowdon and Scafell Pike in England.[20]

While at Oxford, Naruhito also was able to go sightseeing across Europe and meet many of its royalty, including the British royal family.[20] The relatively relaxed manners of the United Kingdom's royals amazed him: "Queen Elizabeth II, he noted with surprise, poured her own tea and served the sandwiches."[21] He also went skiing with Liechtenstein's Hans-Adam II, holidayed on Mallorca in the Mediterranean with Juan Carlos I, and sailed with Norway's Harald and Sonja and Beatrix of the Netherlands.[22]

Upon his return to Japan, Naruhito enrolled once more in Gakushūin University to earn a Master of Humanities degree in History, successfully earning his degree in 1988.[citation needed]

Personal life

Marriage and family

Marriage

Naruhito first met Masako Owada at a tea for Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo in November 1986,[23][19] during her studies at the University of Tokyo. The prince was immediately captivated by her,[24] and arranged for them to meet several times over the next few weeks.[25] Because of this, they were pursued relentlessly by the press throughout 1987.[26]

Despite the Imperial Household Agency's disapproval of Masako, and her attending Balliol College, Oxford, for the next two years, Naruhito remained interested in Masako. He would go on to propose to her three times before the Imperial Palace announced their engagement on 19 January 1993. The wedding took place on 9 June the same year at the Imperial Shinto Hall in Tokyo before 800 invited guests, including many of Europe's heads of state and royalty, and an estimated media audience of 500 million people around the world.

By the time of their marriage, Naruhito's grandfather Emperor Shōwa (Hirohito) had died and so on 23 February 1991, Naruhito was invested as the Crown Prince with the title Prince Hiro (浩宮, Hiro-no-miya).[27]

Masako's first pregnancy was announced in December 1999, but she miscarried.[28] Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have one daughter, Aiko, Princess Toshi (敬宮愛子内親王, Toshi-no-miya Aiko Naishinnō, born 1 December 2001 at Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace).

Hobbies and interests

Naruhito is interested in water policy and water conservation. In March 2003, in his capacity as honorary president of the Third World Water Forum, he delivered a speech at the forum's opening ceremony titled "Waterways Connecting Kyoto and Local Regions". Visiting Mexico in March 2006, he gave the keynote address at the opening ceremony for the Fourth World Water Forum, "Edo and Water Transport". And in December 2007, he gave a commemorative talk at the opening ceremony for the First Asia-Pacific Water Summit, "Humans and Water: From Japan to the Asia-Pacific Region".[29]

Naruhito plays the viola, having switched from violin because he thought the latter "too much of a leader, too prominent" to suit his musical and personal tastes.[30] He enjoys jogging, hiking, and mountaineering in his spare time.[12]

Crown Prince

Crown Prince Naruhito in Brazil, 18 June 2008

Naruhito is an honorary member of the World Commission on Water for the 21st century and patron of the Global Water Partnership, established by the World Bank, the United Nations, and the Swedish Agency of Development.[citation needed]

The Crown Prince was a patron of the Japanese Olympic Games Committee. On behalf of the crown, the prince carries out representative duties in Japan and abroad. The prince is also a supporter of the World Organization of the Scout Movement and in 2006 attended the 14th Nippon Jamboree, the Japanese national jamboree organized by the Boy Scout Association of Japan. The crown prince has also been an honorary vice-president of the Japanese Red Cross Society since 1994.[29]

For two weeks in 2012, Naruhito temporarily took charge of his father's duties while the Emperor underwent and recovered from heart bypass surgery.[31]

Naruhito's birthday was named "Mount Fuji Day" by Shizuoka and Yamanashi Prefectures because of his reported love of the mountain.[32]

Emperor

See also: Reiwa

On 1 December 2017, the government announced that Naruhito's father, Emperor Akihito, would abdicate on 30 April 2019, and that Naruhito would become emperor as of 1 May 2019.[33][34]

The tentative date of his enthronement ceremony is 22 October 2019.[35]

Selected works

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.
  • 2006 – The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford with Hugh Cortazzi. Folkestone, Kent: Global Oriental. ISBN 978-1-905246-06-9; OCLC 65196090
  • 1993 – Temuzu to tomoni: Eikoku no ninenkan (テムズとともに: 英国の二年間, OCLC 032395987)

Titles, styles and honours

Styles of
Emperor Naruhito
Imperial Coat of Arms
Imperial Coat of Arms
Reference styleHis Majesty
Spoken styleYour Majesty
Alternative styleSir

Titles and styles

  • 23 February 1960 – 23 February 1991: His Imperial Highness The Prince Hiro
  • 23 February 1991 – 30 April 2019: His Imperial Highness The Crown Prince of Japan
  • 1 May 2019 – present: His Majesty The Emperor[36]

Honours

See also: List of honours of the Japanese imperial family by country
Imperial Standard of the Emperor

National

Foreign

Honorary degree

Honorary positions

Notes

  1. ^ "Members of the Order of the Garter". The British Monarchy.
  2. ^ "National Day of Japan to be celebrated". Embassy of Japan in Pakistan. 7 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 February 2008. Retrieved 28 December 2007. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ "浩宮徳仁親王（現皇太子）誕生". Mainichi Shimbun. 23 February 1960. Retrieved 30 April 2019.
  4. ^ Hills 2006, p. 69
  5. ^ Bix, Herbert P. (2000). Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan. New York: Harper Collins. p. 661. ISBN 978-0-06-019314-0.
  6. ^ "Japan's Dowager Empress Dead At 97". CBS News. 16 June 2000. Retrieved 21 October 2016.
  7. ^ Hills 2006, p. 76
  8. ^ Hills 2006, p. 77
  9. ^ Hills 2006, p. 56
  10. ^ Hills 2006, p. 57
  11. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 60–61
  12. ^ a b Hills 2006, p. 60
  13. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 77–78
  14. ^ Hills 2006, p. 79
  15. ^ Hills 2006, p. 81
  16. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 142–143, 152
  17. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 144–145
  18. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 145–146
  19. ^ a b c d Hills 2006, p. 150
  20. ^ a b Hills 2006, p. 151
  21. ^ Hills 2006, p. 148
  22. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 151–152
  23. ^ Fitzpatrick, Beth Cooney (21 January 2011). "Great Royal Weddings: Princess Masako and Crown Prince Naruhito". Stylelist. AOL. Archived from the original on 10 September 2011. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  24. ^ Hills 2006, pp. 120–121
  25. ^ Hills 2006, p. 123
  26. ^ Hills 2006, p. 136
  27. ^ "Personal Histories of Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess". Archived from the original on 5 December 2002. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  28. ^ "Royal life takes its toll on Japan's crown princess". China Daily. 2 August 2004. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  29. ^ a b "Their Imperial Highnesses the Crown Prince and Crown Princess". Archived from the original on 5 December 2002. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  30. ^ Hills 2006, p. 72
  31. ^ "Japanese Emperor Akihito's heart surgery 'a success'". BBC News. 18 February 2012.
  32. ^ 「梅原猛・川勝平太『日本思想の古層』藤原書店、2017, p. 14」
  33. ^ "Emperor Akihito to abdicate on April 30, 2019". japantoday.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017.
  34. ^ Osaki, Tomohiro (1 December 2017). "Japan sets date for Emperor Akihito's abdication as April 30, 2019". The Japan Times. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  35. ^ "Enthronement ceremony for new emperor mulled for Oct. 2019". Mainichi Shimbun. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 31 December 2017. The government is mulling scheduling the enthronement ceremony for the next emperor for October 2019, months after Crown Prince Naruhito accedes to the Imperial Throne on May 1 that year upon his father Emperor Akihito's abdication, it has been learned. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  36. ^ "Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress - The Imperial Household Agency". www.kunaicho.go.jp. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  37. ^ a b "Promotion of Blood Donation". 7 July 2016.
  38. ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question about the Decoration of Honour" (pdf) (in German). p. 1299.
  39. ^ Guillaume and Stephanie of Luxembourg’s religious wedding Ceremony, Prince Naruhito, having no Luxembourgish decoration, has worn the ribbon bar Archived 25 May 2013 at the Wayback Machine of Grand Cordon of the Order of Leopold
  40. ^ www.borger.dk Archived 17 December 2012 at archive.today, Persondetaljer - Hans Kejserlige Højhed Naruhito
  41. ^ "Semakan Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan".
  42. ^ "Filipino recipients of Japanese decorations and Japanese recipients of Philippine decorations". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  43. ^ "Cidadãos Estrangeiros Agraciados com Ordens Portuguesas" (in Portuguese). presidencia.pt. Retrieved 13 June 2012.
  44. ^ "Boletín Oficial del Estado" (PDF).
  45. ^ "Wedding Of Swedish Crown Princess Victoria & Daniel Westling - Arrivals". Getty Images. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  46. ^ "Glittering Royal Events Message Board: Coronation in Tonga". 15 June 2015. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  47. ^ Ito, Kazuya (4 July 2015). "Crown Princess Masako completes first duties abroad in more than 2 years". The Asahi Shimbun. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 2 December 2016.
  48. ^ "United Arab Emirates (Image)".
  49. ^ "Japanese crown prince visits UAE".
  50. ^ http://reinanzaka-sc.o.oo7.jp/kiroku/documents/20140523-3-kiji-list.pdf

Sources

  • Hills, Ben (2006). Princess Masako: Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne. Penguin. ISBN 1585425680. {{cite book}}: Invalid |ref=harv (help)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Emperor Naruhito.
Naruhito
Born: 23 February 1960
Regnal titles
Preceded by Emperor of Japan
2019–present 		Incumbent
Heir presumptive:
Fumihito, Prince Akishino
Japanese royalty
Preceded by Crown Prince of Japan
1991–2019 		Succeeded by
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