Criticisms of the Crown Princess and her family

[Al_bina]

With all due respect ...

While I agree that the pressure to conform is considerably stronger in Japan than in western countries, there's pressure to conform in all societies and penalties for not doing so. I think the characterisation "extremely cruel" is an overstatement.

I love everything Japanese: culture, cuisine, literature, fashion, perfumes, cosmetics, etc. Having said that, I still regard the Japan as one of the cruelest nations in the world. Furthermore, I believe that the Japanese is the only nation that has turned cruelty into the form of art (e.g., seppuku). As acknowledged many times, Japan is very keen on maintaining the uniqueness of its native culture. I admire the Japanese for their capacity to borrow and adapt and yet to retain their own individuality and their own style. As noted by W. Scott Morton, “The Japanese... are a product of a history driven by two opposing forces-the relentless march of cultural change and the steadfast desire to maintain tradition. The nearly ceaseless and often violent conflict between these forces has made the story of Japan’s traditional past a pageant unrivaled in the sweep of its human drama”. Surviving in harsh geographical conditions and adopting only the best innovations prompted the process of the natural selection, where only perfect human specimens are fit to become the Japanese. Thus, the Japanese show intolerance toward imperfect things and human beings, which often equals cruelty.
Japan is known for its discriminatory attitudes toward women viewing them as servants to men and baby-making machines. Such situation bespeaks a deeply rooted view that women are imperfect and thus can not be accorded truly equal treatment. Although one of the well-developed countries, Japan is not willing to embrace forward thinking that tends to break outdated traditions, which define the Japanese uniqueness .

 

[PrincessElena]

Wrong!

there are no female priests in the Shinto religion

Sorry, but there are female priestesses in Shinto religion. They are called "miko". There are even high priestesses and they are called "saio" and they were usually the unmarried relative of the Emperor. Emperor Akihito's elder sister, Atsuko is actually the "saio" now since 1988.

Anyways, I have to agree with kimebear. If Aiko cannot be empress, I would like to see her son as emperor...but I think this is impossible to happen.

 

[Elspeth]

Japan is known for its discriminatory attitudes toward women viewing them as servants to men and baby-making machines. Such situation bespeaks a deeply rooted view that women are imperfect and thus can not be accorded truly equal treatment.

That doesn't sound all that different from western society of 50 years ago and earlier. Inferiority of women seems to be a characteristic of a lot of religions, and western society is only recently breaking free. From things I've heard from friends who've spent extended periods living in Japan, the Japanese very much admire 1950s America, a time and place when women were also basically decorative nonentities. It may just be that Japan is taking a little longer than western Europe to embrace modern attitudes - the idea of Aiko following her father as ruler doesn't seem to bother many younger and middle-aged Japanese.

 

[Al_bina]

Japan has been exposed to foreign material goods, other psychocultural artifacts (music, the popular culture and the like), and developments in the society at large (Internet, cell-phones, etc.). Decline of population density coupled with increased resource availability will adversely affect collectivistic behaviours, values, and group consciousness, thereby encouraging individuality, uniqueness, and separateness. Nevertheless, the speed of transformational changes is likely to remain slow. In light of the foregoing, I dare to assume that Prince Hisahito’s daughter have got a chance of becoming an Empress.

 

[bekalc]

The IVF route isn't a ridiculous route for them to consider, but who says they haven't tried it again? The success rates are still very low, especially when you are older. For all we know, they have tried it again several times. We don't know what measures they have taken to try for another child. Its not just the emperor who may feel that a male heir is needed. The entire line of succession is based on that tradition. The resolution that I would like to see is to allow a son of Aiko to become the heir after Naruhito. If the problem is a female tenno, at least let the grandson of an Emperor Naruhito succeed him. Naruhito is young. He could be Emperor for a very long time until Aiko has a son to succeed him. This could appease some people if Aiko was allowed to marry and retain her royal status, without offending the conservatives who don't want to see a woman on the throne.

I think the reports are that Masako has refused to try again, although for awhile it was just she wanted time....As for the succession, the issue ISN'T so much Aiko being empress, the traditonalists are okay with that idea because it's part of their tradition. The ISSUE is Aiko's children being Emperor/Emperess after that. Basically the tradition is that for 2600 years, the Emperor/Empress has always been directly through the male line. That's a 2600 year tradition, and quite frankly, monarchies are built on tradition. So basically the Traditionalists would prefer Aiko to Aiko's son. Quite literally.

So many would be willing to accept Aiko as Empress, however they aren't willing to accept Aiko's children as Emperor/Empress, unless she marries someone from let's say a now defunct former royal family, or Hisahito. And one can see the argument that yes Aiko has the right to inherit, but that certainly giving the 2600 year tradition, Hisahito certainly has more right than any of Aiko's children.

 

[ChiaraC]

Japan is an extremely cruel country, which strives for perfection and rests upon strict adherence to traditions. Throughout Japanese history, the Imperial family has been a symbol of the Japanese identity as a nation. So the Japanese will be reluctant to introduce any major changes that may adversely affect this symbol or tarnish its images in any manner. The Japanese respect harmony and do not like anyone, who attempts to express his/her personal opinion. Any person, who dares to behave in differently, always gets pressure from others to conform to generally accepted rules and traditions, receive harsh criticism, and suffer ostracism. I believe that Crown Princess Masako dared to utter “me” a few times instead of “we”. In short, Crown Princess Masako attempted to rock the boat of the eternal harmony and peace. The same situation takes place in Vatican.

I understand what you mean and I appreciate your explanation very much. And I think that the words by W. Scott Morton that you quote in your other post (“The Japanese... are a product of a history driven by two opposing forces-the relentless march of cultural change and the steadfast desire to maintain tradition. The nearly ceaseless and often violent conflict between these forces has made the story of Japan’s traditional past a pageant unrivaled in the sweep of its human drama”.) are, indeed, very much to the purpose.

But, I must say, if it is their idea of harmony to radically destroy everything that does not fit into their preconceived pattern I certainly don´t share it. And although I am, of course, not qualified to say anything about the deeper meaning of “ai” (which, I suppose, would be “harmony” in Japanese) at least the European word “harmony” would agree with me. “Harmonia” is the daughter of the Greek goddess of love, Aphrodite, and the Greek god of war, Ares. So, harmony is created by the loving union of two adversary powers, not by the elimination of one of them. And you cannot “make” or “produce” it, you can only let it grow (or not).

 

[Al_bina]

Sympathy turns to scepticism as courtiers whisper princess does not do her duty - Times Online

... In May a magazine ran an article by Kanji Nishio, a right-wing academic and champion of the Imperial Family. He urged that Princess Masako's family “take her back” - a euphemism for divorce - because of the damage that she is doing to the Imperial Family. “The members of the Imperial Family are the passengers of the ship named the Imperial System, but not its owners,” he wrote. “If one individual gets seasick and cannot stay on board, then there is no alternative but to disembark.” The article boosted the circulation of the magazine, Will, from 100,000 to 150,000 a month and drew many e-mails, letters and telephone calls, most of them in agreement with Professor Nishio. “Nishio has started a debate that people with common sense want to participate in,” Tomoko Seo, an editor at the magazine, said. “People are frustrated and angry with Masako for making many private outings, although she cannot carry out official duties.”

[my bolding]
It looks like another wave of criticism aimed at Crown Princess Masako has been set off. Unfortunately I can not express my views on this issue unambiguously because it is impossible for me to determine whether Crown Princess Masako is strongly advised to lead a cloistered life or it is Crown Princess Masako's wish to do so. Additionally, this Japanese magazine seems to use Crown Princess Masako for improving sales in the same way as Western tabloids do.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I believe that you're correct in thinking this, Al-bina. One sign of hope is that she's due to meet with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall when they visit Japan; she's not attending the event with the Emperor and Empress, though. It's the same with going with Aiko to see the Empress's pictures; she went with Naruhito and not with the rest of the Imperial Family. So she seems to be taking on some appearances in public, but is still not appearing with her in-laws. Perhaps those occasions are still too formal for her, but she can handle the less formal occasions with herself and the Crown Prince more ably. The worst possible assumption, although it did occur to me, is that these occasions are showing a great divide between the Crown Princess and the Imperial Couple. I hope that's not the case.

Sympathy turns to scepticism as courtiers whisper princess does not do her duty - Times Online
[my bolding]
It looks like another wave of criticism aimed at Crown Princess Masako has been set off.

 

[kimebear]

Unfortunately, I believe that this is exactly the case. There is a definite divide between the Imperial couple and the Crown Princely couple. The question just remains as to whether it is by the design of the IHA to further pit the Japanese people against Masako, or if Masako herself just doesn't want to be around her in-laws.

 

[Mermaid1962]

I hope, I hope, I hope that there's a picture of her dressed up for dinner with the Crown Prince and Charles and Camilla. She needs to do something official, and soon.

Unfortunately, I believe that this is exactly the case. There is a definite divide between the Imperial couple and the Crown Princely couple. The question just remains as to whether it is by the design of the IHA to further pit the Japanese people against Masako, or if Masako herself just doesn't want to be around her in-laws.

 

[Al_bina]

Stress of family squabbles blamed for Emperor Akihito's illness - Times Online

Emperor Akihito of Japan is suffering from stomach problems caused by acute stress — the result of a painful falling out with his son, Crown Prince Naruhito, according to speculation in the Japanese media. ...

It appears that yet again the Japanese media attempts to pin guilt for Emperor Akihito's health condition on the Crown Princely couple. Naturally it is impossible to determine whether the omnipotent IHA has choreographed a current wave of criticism in the mass media outlets by leaking bits of information. At the same time, there is a usual pattern of blaming the Crown Princely couple to fulfill their main duty, that is to produce an heir.

... According to sources close to the Imperial Palace, Akihito in his turn reproached his son for taking lightly the responsibility of perpetuating the world’s longest unbroken royal line — dating back some 2000 years and 125 generations, in the traditional reckoning, to the direct descendants of Japan’s Sun Goddess, Amaterasu no Omikami. ... [my bolding]

 

[kimebear]

So we have had the Empress made sick from stress, the Crown Princess made sick from stress and now the Emperor. Wouldn't you think that the Japanese public might start to suspect that all is not what it seems for traditional Imperial life?

 

[Mermaid1962]

It's so ironic that members of the Imperial Family always look so serene when they're in public.

So we have had the Empress made sick from stress, the Crown Princess made sick from stress and now the Emperor. Wouldn't you think that the Japanese public might start to suspect that all is not what it seems for traditional Imperial life?

 

[ChiaraC]

It is true that it was the crown prince in the first place who started washing the dirty family laundry in public. But he only did it once, and has since absolutely refrained from doing it again, even when questioned hard by curious journalists.

The emperor and prince Akishino (and those surrounding them), in their turn, seem to be unable to stop themselves doing it, now that they have begun...
"Dr Kanazawa made it clear that this was not simply a case of an elderly man working too hard. “Please do not simply think that he feels distress because he is busy performing official duties or his schedule is tight,” he said."

The emperor is an old man and working much too much, like many Japanese. (You know that there is a special illness, known only in Japan, that basically describes people dying - literally - from too much work?) If the doctor would not give a reason for the emperor´s breakdown, nobody would suspect anything special. But he instead chooses to cause new rumours. Does he think that this will help the suffering? (Well - maybe: if the disobedient son is publicly put to shame, maybe that helps... But it is a high price they are paying for this satisfaction. This will hardly ameliorate the reputation of the imperial family as a whole.)

Even if it is true that misunderstandings with the crown prince are troubling the emperor´s mind, why does the public have to be kept informed of it? Have not we been told that harmony and "keeping face" go first in Japanese society?
This constant public discussion of the internal matters of the imperial family will not solve their problems but will rather serve to fuel them even more.

 

[Al_bina]

ChiaraC,
As usually you have made valid observations about the current state of affairs within the Imperial family. It is rather odd that public at large is invited to witness the family discord. Yet again ... I wonder if it was Dr Kanazawa's own initiative to make a very ambiguous statement.

 

[ChiaraC]

I wonder if it was Dr Kanazawa's own initiative to make a very ambiguous statement.

I am wondering, too. And it seems to me that in this case we are having exactly the same idea concerning on whose initiative he may have spoken...

 

[Marquesa d Yolombó]

This makes me think that, in some dark corner of the IHA building, somebody is thinking on firing Kanazawa because of having a big mouth.... jajaja...

But being serious, the guys at the IHA and the Imperial Family must take into account all this stress-related illness, and see that they are very closely related to development of official duties and stress linked to a though life within their moats.

Maybe they might need group theraphy or something, don't you think?? The only problem is that mental health is still a taboo subject in Japan..

 

[dragonsfire8]

Well....its true that may Japanese consider mental illness is taboo....but that starting to change....eventhough its slow.

Well....the only thing really, in my mind and opinion, that is causing all of these illness within the Imperial family is the IHA. They are the ones scheduling, deciding and what have you with the Emperor, Empress, Crown Prince & Princess etc.....what they will do and when.

 

[Al_bina]

Dr. Kanazawa has made a terrible mistake of spurring unnecessary speculations about the state of affairs within the Imperial family. I would not like to blame the IHA though. Has anyone read "Rising Sun" by Michael Chrichton, in which a junior Japanese executive decided to take an initiatve for a company sake without consulting his superiors, thereby making the company lose its face? There is a possibility that Dr. Kanazawa acted on his own initiative without fully comprehending a possible controversy his statement might create. It remains to be seen whether his trasngression will be punished in any manner or just overlooked.

Another perspective on the internal state of affairs within the Imperial family situation Emperor Akihito, the father of Japan, overcome by family trouble - Telegraph

The disagreement appears to stem from the failure of Naruhito and his wife, Crown Princess Masako, to produce a male heir, but beneath it lie profound dynastic and cultural tensions that are shaking the "modern" model of the Imperial family. At the core of the dispute are two ideas of what the country's monarchy should be. On one side are those who favour the prevailing Western-style constitutional system, with the royal family in a largely ceremonial role. ...

If Akihito had believed, back in the early days of his reign, that he could change the IHA's approach, he now knows differently. And it is essentially this defeat at the hands of his own courtiers that explains the awkward stand-off with 48-year-old Naruhito. The Crown Prince feels strongly that his own wife – also a commoner – has had a raw deal from the IHA and that the lessons of his mother's unhappiness should have been learned.

As far as I have understood, Langley stated that Imperial servants contribute to the rift between Emperor Akihito and Crown Prince Naruhito.

​

 

[ChiaraC]

An interesting article! And there is at least one thing in it that I have always suspected: that the crown prince while fighting for his wife is also defending his mother, meaning: doing what he always thought his father should have done in the past. (Although I rather suppose that his mother is not appreciating it.) The emperor feels the unspoken accusation in his son´s attitude. And his own bad conscience for the past in which he saw his wife suffering and let her do battle alone makes him even more relentless towards his son. - But then we have to admit that Akihito only did what Asian tradition requires: the first loyalty of a son belongs to his parents, not to his wife. If she has a problem with her parents in law, she´s on her own. - A rule quite easy to follow as long as marriages are being arranged... But independent of the culture you grew up in you will IMO always feel guilty if you love someone – and Akihito undoubtedly loved his young wife – and do not support your love in suffering, tradition or no tradition. He probably never felt quite well about letting her stand alone but on the other hand, tradition´s hold on him was strong, and his duty was clear. - Naruhito is bringing his father´s inner conflict to light by the way in which he stands up for his wife, and much resentment between father and son may flow from that source.

 

[Mermaid1962]

Ah, the light goes on. Naruhito has broken a taboo by defending his wife. In western terms, this makes him a good husband; but in Asian terms, it makes him a bad son. I think I've got it now.

- But then we have to admit that Akihito only did what Asian tradition requires: the first loyalty of a son belongs to his parents, not to his wife. If she has a problem with her parents in law, she´s on her own. - A rule quite easy to follow as long as marriages are being arranged... But independent of the culture you grew up in you will IMO always feel guilty if you love someone – and Akihito undoubtedly loved his young wife – and do not support your love in suffering, tradition or no tradition. He probably never felt quite well about letting her stand alone but on the other hand, tradition´s hold on him was strong, and his duty was clear. - Naruhito is bringing his father´s inner conflict to light by the way in which he stands up for his wife, and much resentment between father and son may flow from that source.

 

[Kurenai]

Being Asian myself, I understand fully how much pressure the CP must be in -- tradition, bring honor to one's family, and bring no shame to the group you're a part of. I feel absolutely horrible for the CP -- she never wanted to be married into the Imperial family but in the end she was pressured to do so.

A part of the reason why I believe she is having so much difficulty is because she is more Westernized than any other Japanese person within the government and royal circle (did she not get her undergraduate education at Harvard? I might be mistaken, but I believe she spent time abroad when she was a child).

On a side note, I spoke with a Japanese friend recently and she was angry that the young princess will not be the heir to the throne. My friend also mentioned that there are a lot of Japanese people who feel the same way. However, it is of my opinion that the Japanese do not view their RF the way other countries do -- for over a thousand years the Emperor never had any power. They were one of the earliest figure head monarch in Asia. Perhaps this is why, but most Japanese people I come across do not have any strong feelings for their RF. To them, the RF are figures in the background almost invisible, and therefore, not much paying a lot of attention to. Whenever I ask them about the RF, they seem very surprised as if to say, "why on earth would you be interested in THAT?" This is also especially true for the younger generations.

 

[scooter]

Here is the part I dont understand. If, as has been widely reported, Masako had IVF to have her daughter, why they did not select a male embryo for implantation? Unless there were no healthy male embryos. At Masako's age, with her previous infertility issues, it is very unlikely that an IVF using her own eggs would be successful. Perhaps a donor egg IVF.

 

[Kurenai]

If they used a donor egg, the child will not be 100% royal blood -- blood is very important in Asian culture.

Secondly, as far as I am aware, in order you to "pick out" a MALE embryo, you need to first pick out the MALE sperm. But "how" is the biggest question because it is impossibly hard to figure out whether or not a certain sperm is male or female without killing or damaging it (it's not like you can draw blood from a sperm which is one single cell).

Thirdly, I highly doubt if the RF would welcome the opportunity to "artificially" inseminate the Crown Princess because that would be inviting more gossip and unwanted attention AND if would be like admitting that they are not perfect. Old families in Asia, especially prominent ones, are very proud and DO NOT want to be seen as having anything less than perfect. Think of 19th century RF of Europe. What never ceases to amaze me is how celebrities and other "illustrious" families in the U.S. set up foundations in honor of their children with disability (e.g. Hunter's Hope). In Korea (where I am originally from), families of big corporations like Samsung or LG will never admit that they have a child with disability (if they had one in the family), let alone draw attention to it by setting up a foundation after him/her.

I'm just trying to describe the general mentality of old-fashioned Asians.

 

[kimebear]

It is not the donor egg that is the problem. If push came to shove, no one (in the IHA, at least) would really care if the child was biologically Masako's. It is the child being biologically Naruhito's that is important. That is why, in the past, concubines were brought in to produce a male heir if none were forthcoming from the Empress.

If the CP couple were so inclined, they could use Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis as a method to guarantee a healthy son and there is certainly no information stating that this has not already been tried. Success rates for IVF are still fairly low.

 

[scooter]

ITA, Kimebear. BTW, they do have the technology to separate the XX and XY sperm before implantation. They spin it in a centrefuge and the the two separate. They also check the embryos for genetic defect, preimplantation. Success rates quoted to me in NYC were (depending on the maternal age, etc) 18-25% per cycle (as defined by a pregnancy, not a live birth).

 

[Al_bina]

Kurenai has made very valid points (see post #52 and 54). When it comes to the Imperial family, Japanese wish to see a strict adherence to tradition, no matter how out-dated these traditions may be. Although a younger more progressive generation does not care much about blindly observing the traditions, the IHA strives to ensure that the Imperial family is a paragon of everything traditional that define Japanese as the nation in today's globalised world.
Kurenai is correct about attidues toward people with disabilities and mental issues. I come from a different part of Asia, but it is customary to check families of perspective partners for health issues. It is called "the bloodline check".

 

[ChiaraC]

I feel absolutely horrible for the CP -- she never wanted to be married into the Imperial family but in the end she was pressured to do so.

A part of the reason why I believe she is having so much difficulty is because she is more Westernized than any other Japanese person within the government and royal circle (did she not get her undergraduate education at Harvard? I might be mistaken, but I believe she spent time abroad when she was a child).

She went indeed to Harvard. See here:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=768539&postcount=101

 

[ChiaraC]

Here is the part I dont understand. If, as has been widely reported, Masako had IVF to have her daughter, why they did not select a male embryo for implantation? Unless there were no healthy male embryos. At Masako's age, with her previous infertility issues, it is very unlikely that an IVF using her own eggs would be successful. Perhaps a donor egg IVF.

You find a possible explanation for not selecting a male embryo here:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=740225&postcount=29

And here something about the probability of IVF having been used:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=754849&postcount=88
and here:
http://www.theroyalforums.com/forums/showpost.php?p=754851&postcount=89

Bye the bye: nobody knows if it was really Masako having the infertility issues...

 

[NotAPretender]

There are very few situations in life that seem completely without resolution, and this appears to be one of them.

I sincerely hope that the Crown Princess and Crown Prince have found happiness in each other and in their child, and that the happiness they have is enough to keep them from totally despairing at the heaping of bad feelings onto them.