Click here to see the photo at belgapicture
According to a report in the Asahi Shimbun, a team of archaeologists have examined artifacts from near Hashihaka, a 280-meter key-hole shaped burial mound, and have discovered evidence that the ancient tomb may belong to Himiko or, in Chinese, Pimiko, the legendary third-century shaman queen of the Yamatai kingdom in Japan. Using radiocarbon dating, the researchers found out that clay fragments from the rim of the mound were made between 240 and 260 A.D., just the time around which the queen is reported by Chinese sources to have died. In addition, an ancient Chinese chronicle, the “Records of Wei“, says: “When Pimiko passed away, a great mound was raised, more than a hundred paces in diameter. Over a hundred male and female attendants followed her to the grave.” And the burial mound, that is situated in the town of Sakurai, near the ancient capital of Nara in central Japan, is, in fact, much larger than other ancient tombs built before or at the same time in Japan. The nearest one in size measures just 110 meters in length. (Article)
The discovery is likely to provoke new debate over Japanese history and the royal family, which the Imperial Household Agency still claims is descended from the mythical sun goddess Amaterasu. Queen Himiko is mentioned several times in records from the Chinese court, with which the Yamatai kingdom had links, but the earliest Japanese sources, compiled in the 8th century, fail to mention her, with but one remarkable exception. Read more…
ChiaraC Historical Royals, Japanese Royals Ancient Tombs, Imperial Household Agency, Queen Himiko, Succession
Click to see the photo at yuko2ch.net
A former classmate of Princess Kako at Gakushuin Primary School apparently posted an unauthorized photograph of the princess in a diary on the member-based social networking site Mixi. In the following days, the photo was leaked over the Internet. Fourteen-year-old Princess Kako is the second daughter of Prince Akishino, the younger son of Japan´s Emperor Akihito, and his wife, Princess Kiko. According to the source, the photo showed Princess Kako wearing a Gakushuin´s Junior High School uniform and had probably been taken by her former classmate at a school festival or similar event.
The school has reportedly spoken to the boy about the issue. The photo has already been deleted. It has neither been confirmed that the photo actually is of Princess Kako nor is there any official information given on how the boy obtained the photograph.
Click here to read an article at Mainichi.jp
And it is these comments (or non-comments) that make the really interesting part of this piece of news (together with the idea of a photograph of Princess Kako smiling shyly in her school uniform, which is really one of the most innocuous and uncontroversial sights imaginable) as they provide an insight into structures that are quite typical for the way in which public comments on the imperial family are usually handled in Japan. Gakushuin public relations officials as well as Noriyuki Kazaoka, Vice-Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Agency, refuse to confirm what is already obvious to everybody. Still, in its report the newspaper Mainichi carefully avoids to question their statements, namely that the photo might actually show somebody else than Princess Kako and that it is unknown how the boy got this photo (whomever it might represent). Read more…
ChiaraC Japanese Royals Emperor Akihito, Imperial Household Agency, Media, Princess Kako
Click here to see the photo at belgapicture
On May 10, 2004, Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan was scheduled for a news conference. Nobody expected anything spectacular or even especially interesting from this event. All public relations of the imperial family members are organized by the Imperial Household Agency (IHA) which sets up news conferences only on certain occasions, the most frequent being birthdays and visits of the royals to foreign countries. The journalists who are invited to attend – usually from a carefully selected pool of “court journalists” – ought to submit the questions they are intending to ask weeks in advance to the IHA officials on duty, for approval. The answers that the imperial prince or princess will give are also written down for them by the IHA before the news conference starts. All very well organized, no surprises involved for anybody, the worst thing one could say: that all this might be a little bit boring…
Click here to see the photo at ANP beeldbank
In May 2004, the crown prince was planning a trip to Europe where he was going to attend the royal weddings in Denmark and Spain. It was to be supposed that, on the obligatory press conference, he would discuss the trip’s schedule, make a few remarks concerning the friendly relations to the other royal families and maybe mention what everybody knew already: that his wife, Crown Princess Masako, was not so far recovered yet from her bout with shingles in December 2003 as to be able to accompany him. But his audience was going to be surprised… Read more…
ChiaraC Japanese Royals Imperial Household Agency, Press Conference, Prince Naruhito, Princess Masako, Scandal
Click here to see the photo at ANP
The Imperial Household Agency disclosed recently that it intends to lessen the burden on Emperor Akihito of Japan by reducing his duties throughout the year. Last December, the emperor was diagnosed with arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, and inflammation in his stomach and duodenum. His condition was said to be caused by stress, and in the following days, several of the emperor´s engagements had to be cancelled, for instance, his annual news conference, customarily held prior to his Dec. 23 birthday. The emperor soon resumed his duties, but the Imperial Household Agency announced in February that it intended to reduce his workload throughout the year. Still, it might fairly be doubted how much of this announcement was owing to wishful thinking on the part of the Imperial Household members. There were rumours leaked that say that there has been a “tug of war” ongoing between the emperor–who regards his duties as important–and agency officials, who wanted to lighten his workload out of concerns for his health.
In any case, taking a look at the emperor´s activities during the last days, one might easily receive the impression that there has someone been defeated in this “war” – and that it has not been His Majesty: After his return from a few days holiday with Prince Akishino and his family at the imperial farm in Tochigi (the empress had not been able to accompany him, owing to a ligament injury in her left knee), the emperor held a press conference on occasion of the imperial wedding anniversary. He underwent all the festivities that were scheduled to mark the imperial couple´s golden wedding anniversary on April 10, including the evening party, a private family dinner, visits with government officials and a tea party at the imperial palace, hosting 101 couples who were also celebrating their golden anniversaries this year.
Read more…
ChiaraC Japanese Royals Emperor Akihito, Imperial Household Agency, Vietnam
